Mass Looting And Rioting In South Africa
At least 45 people have died in South Africa during violent riots over the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.
Even cops were seemingly caught helping themselves during shocking scenes of mass looting.
Sporadic violence first broke out on July 8th when Zuma, started serving his 15-month sentence for defying a court order to appear at an inquiry investigating corruption during his nine years in office.
The violence soon grew to some of the worst violence seen in Africa in years. Spreading from Zuma’s home in KwaZulu-Natal province to the country’s biggest city, Johannesburg, and surrounding Gauteng province, and to the Indian Ocean port city of Durban.
How Long Will This Last?
At least 19 had been killed in Gauteng, including 10 on July 12th, at a mall in the Meadowlands area of Soweto where gunshots were heard. Another 26 people had also been killed in KwaZulu-Natal province, many crushed in the shops, officials said on July 13th.
The looting continued Tuesday even after the deployment of 2,500 soldiers to support the South African police.
Announcing that there had been at least 757 arrests, Police Minister Bheki Cele said no one would be allowed to “make a mockery of our democratic state.”