[21]: 52  Resulting protests against the incarceration triggered wider rioting and looting, much of it said to be undertaken by people not in support of Zuma[26] and fuelled by job layoffs and economic inequality worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic policies.

[41] On 29 June 2021, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court, after he refused to appear at a commission his government appointed to investigate alleged corruption during his time in office, and engaged in what the judges characterised as a "politically motivated smear campaign" against the country's judiciary.

[46] On 8 July 2021, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola announced that Zuma would be eligible for parole upon serving a quarter of his 15-month sentence.

[50][1] "According to the Minister of Police, the planned violence was intended to make the entire country ungovernable, but it had gained the most traction in the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, which had significant numbers of outspoken individuals and groups opposing the sentencing and incarceration of former President Zuma."

[51] The riots continued on the evening of 11 July, when multiple news sources indicated reports of gunshots and explosions heard at local malls and residential areas.

[53] An incident occurred at Southgate Spar, a supermarket near a township in Pietermaritzburg, as an unnamed 15-year-old boy was shot in the chest with a rubber bullet fired by police in the midst of the unrest and later succumbed to his wounds.

[58] An investigation by the Daily Maverick newspaper found that vigilantes in Phoenix and surrounding areas had targeted suspected looters and even ordinary civilians, committing brutal acts on them.

The newspaper also reported that some incidents of murders of both black people and Indians under investigation were believed by the police to have credible evidence of racial motivations.

[67][68] Over the weekend, as the South African Police Service (SAPS) battled to contain the large-scale looting and damage to infrastructure,[69] pressure mounted on government to deploy the army.

[70] On the morning of Monday, 12 July 2021, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, as part of Operation Prosper.

Ramaphosa referred to the riots as opportunistic acts of violence, citing the lack of grievance, nor any political cause, that can justify the destruction by the protestors.

He highlighted the Constitution of South Africa, which guarantees the rights of everyone to express themselves, but stated that the victims of the violence unfolding are the workers, truck drivers, business owners, and the parents of those who have died and have all done nothing wrong.

[74] On the same day, the Constitutional Court of South Africa reserved its previous judgment and rejected Zuma's bid to rescind his prison sentence.

[77] As a result of the state response failing to quell the unrest, private security companies, taxi drivers, armed civilians and vigilante groups had taken on law enforcement duties by protecting businesses and communities from rioting and looting.

[92] On 12 July 2021, the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa warned that widespread looting, destruction and closures would lead to food shortages across the country.

[93] By 14 July 2021, damage to transport infrastructure had caused food shortages, leading to queues outside grocery stores, and prevented harvesting and distribution of fresh produce.

[84] On 15 July 2021, the largest food manufacturer in South Africa, Tiger Brands, suspended bakery operations in affected areas due to damaged infrastructure and facilities while also noting that it had suffered a loss of stock in excess of R150 million.

[97] On 15 July 2021, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy placed prohibitions on the citizens' ability to buy fuel in portable containers and canisters, citing concerns that stockpiling would exacerbate the situation.

[100] Healthcare providing facilities in Pietermaritzburg were placed under severe pressure due to many members of staff being unable to get to their posts, while those that did get there had to deal with an influx of trauma patients.

[102] Based on a preliminary analysis on 13 July, the South African Special Risks Insurance Association (SASRIA) estimated that total losses due to damage and looting may run into "billions of rand".

[105] Initial estimates by the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) on 13 July put the loss to the GDP of Durban in excess of R20 billion.

[101] Epidemiology Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim cautioned that the ongoing riots could be a superspreader due to large numbers of people gathering in small and confined places.

Various civil society organisations, from the South African Institute of Race Relations and the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa to SA Gun Owners Association and Free State Agriculture, and political parties like the Democratic Alliance, believed that the bill would fail to pass constitutional muster and had to be rejected as the unrest had highlighted the necessity of an armed citizenry in a country where the state's security forces were unable to provide protection and law and order.

[122][123][124][125] By 15 July 2021, volunteer groups in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal had begun repairing damaged property, donating food and providing transport to affected communities.

[146] Thulani Dlomo, the former head of the State Security Agency special operations unit and a loyal supporter of Zuma, is reported to be under investigation for inciting unrest.

[151] ANC ward councillor Solly Seloane from Daveyton, Ekurhuleni was arrested for public violence and theft after CCTV footage appeared to show him stealing clothes from Markham and Totalsports stores during the unrest.

[152] On 4 August evidence from multiple WhatsApp groups was handed over to the SAPS by GOOD party representative Brett Herron to assist with investigations into the cause of the unrest.

[153] The Daily Maverick stated that the evidence directly linked 26 individuals, allegedly from within the ANC and government, with instigating, organising, and coordinating the unrest following Zuma's imprisonment.

[155][156] On 30 January 2025, Jacob Zuma's daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla was arrested on terrorism charges on suspicion of inciting violence on social media that contributed to the 2021 unrest.