Johannesburg: Six people have died and 219 arrested amid violence Violence during the riots that broke out after the imprisonment South Africaformer president of jacob zuma, police said on Monday.
Army Jawans will be deployed to help the police in containing the violence South African National Defense Force said.
Police said shops and businesses were looted and ransacked. Rioters have barricaded traffic on major roads with burning tires and trucks, while cars have been attacked.
The violence began last week when Zuma began serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. He had defied a court order to testify before a state-backed inquiry to probe corruption allegations during his tenure as president from 2009 to 2018.
The country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, will hear Zuma’s appeal against the sentence on Monday.
Riots by supporters of Zuma began last week in his home region of KwaZulu-Natal province and spread over the weekend to Gauteng province, which includes South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg.
Police Colonel Brenda Muridilli said four deaths in Gauteng and two in KwaZulu-Natal were caused by chaos and that police were investigating. Police and national security forces have increased their presence in both provinces to help stop the violence, the statement said. Police said the damage caused to property and businesses would be determined later.
Police have warned that anyone using social media to incite riots could be arrested and prosecuted.
Army Jawans will be deployed to help the police in containing the violence South African National Defense Force said.
Police said shops and businesses were looted and ransacked. Rioters have barricaded traffic on major roads with burning tires and trucks, while cars have been attacked.
The violence began last week when Zuma began serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. He had defied a court order to testify before a state-backed inquiry to probe corruption allegations during his tenure as president from 2009 to 2018.
The country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, will hear Zuma’s appeal against the sentence on Monday.
Riots by supporters of Zuma began last week in his home region of KwaZulu-Natal province and spread over the weekend to Gauteng province, which includes South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg.
Police Colonel Brenda Muridilli said four deaths in Gauteng and two in KwaZulu-Natal were caused by chaos and that police were investigating. Police and national security forces have increased their presence in both provinces to help stop the violence, the statement said. Police said the damage caused to property and businesses would be determined later.
Police have warned that anyone using social media to incite riots could be arrested and prosecuted.
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