South Africans brace for new wave of 'devastating' riots after ex-president Zuma jailed: 'We don't know where to run'

RT
Thu, 15 Jul 2021 17:32 UTC

© Rogan Ward/Reuters

Looters in Durban, South Africa, July 14, 2021.

Locals are preparing for the worst, after a wave of mass rioting and looting swept across South Africa, following the arrest of its former president. The military has been deployed to help police maintain order.

Rioters ran wild, ransacking large shopping malls and smaller businesses, emptying out ATMs, and setting buildings on fire.

As the wave of mayhem died down, residents formed cleaning crews and security watch teams to deal with the aftermath of what South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described as one of the worst instances of violence since the apartheid regime ended in the early 1990s.

"How dare we allow this mall to be looted? That's why we're here," Nhla Nhlaous, local community leader, told RT in Johannesburg, describing the need for volunteers to patrol the streets. "We'd rather have our lives ended. We can't live on our knees."

Others rushed to stock up with groceries and fuel, fearing that the looters might return.

"We are not safe in South Africa. We don't know where to run," Tshepo Mabilo, an owner of a non-profit organization, said.

It's very much devastating. I'm angry and disappointed because of the leadership - from top to bottom.

RT's Paula Slier reported that the situation on the ground remains tense. She said news crews travel with an armed security detail to avoid being attacked for their equipment.

The riots erupted after former president Jacob Zuma surrendered himself to police last week.

Former South African president Jacob Zuma's arrest sparked widespread riots and looting in the country

Zuma, 79, who ruled the country from 2009 to 2018, was sentenced to prison for 15 months for failing to appear for a corruption inquiry. The veteran politician argued that the charges against him were politically motivated. His supporters held protests in various cities.

The ensuing violence has left at least 72 dead as of Tuesday, according to South African News24 website. Police arrested 1,230 suspects for disturbing the peace and looting.

Durban Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda was quoted by the media as saying that 45,000 businesses were affected by the unrest.

Ramaphosa vowed to protect citizens from criminal activity, and ordered the army to be deployed on Thursday to help the police maintain order. "Our Constitution is the foundation of the rule of law in our country," the South African National Defence Force said on social media.

Comment: Troops have finally deployed in an attempt to restore order, as the death toll rises to 117:

A cabinet minister has said that the number of troops on the ground in South Africa to subdue violence and looting stemming from the sentencing of former president Jacob Zuma has reached 10,000.

Speaking on Thursday evening in a televised news conference, Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said she was pleased with the reports that Gauteng province was "largely calm" and that there had been fewer incidents over the past 24 hours.

© REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Members of the military patrol through the streets of Alexandra township as the country deploys the army to quell unrest linked to the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma, in Johannesburg, South Africa, July 15, 2021.

Gauteng, which includes the Highveld cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg and is home to a quarter of the country's population, has only experienced six reported incidents of violence and looting during the past day, according to Ntshavheni.

She said this was because of the targeted deployment of troops and police in unrest hotspots. "By this morning, 10,000 boots were already on the ground, which is an increment of 5,000 from yesterday morning," Ntshavheni added.

The minister said that a total of 725 people had been arrested in Gauteng, and there had been 26 deaths during the unrest in the region alone.

Ntshavheni said the situation in Kwazulu-Natal remains "volatile" but there were movements towards stability. More than 1,000 people have been arrested in the eastern province and 91 have died during the unrest.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula insisted the country was not in a state of emergency despite the violence and looting triggered by Zuma's imprisonment.

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