The violence in South Africa has killed at least 72 people. The violence began on Friday in the KwaZulu-Natal region, the Jacob Zuma region, the day after the later prison. They also affected Johannesburg.
“Law enforcement agencies are doubling their efforts to stop the violence and increase their deployment on the ground,” Police Minister Bekhi Kellel said this morning during a joint press conference with the various South African security actors.
► To read as well: Prison of Jacob Zuma: in the face of violence, Ramaphosa demands calm and mobilizes the army
In addition to the legal forces deployed including the army, the authorities have announced that they involve private security companies. In his televised speech last night, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized this violence unparalleled since the advent of post-apartheid democracy.
750 people arrested
In addition, more than 750 people were arrested in the provinces of Kwazulu-Natal and Rauteng. Investigations are ongoing. “Those who incite violence will not be spared,” the police minister added during his speech. The next 48 hours are critical, assures Daniel Silke, a political analyst, as the violence could spread to other regions of the country (read below).
Durban and Soweto are particularly affected. Images of looting and violence are still widely shared today on social networks. We see cleared shopping malls. And endless queues at gas stations and supermarkets spared looting. Hundreds of looters searched industrial warehouses on the outskirts of Durban, one of Africa’s busiest ports. A chemical plant in the area was also lit.
The South African spy agency, for its part, is investigating its own former agents orchestrated violence in Kwazulu-Natal out of loyalty to Zuma. Suspicions were confirmed by Ayanda Dlodlo, Minister of National Security, during a press conference on Tuesday.
For Daniel Silke, head of Political Futures Consultancy, a political analyst specializing in South Africa, a combination of factors explains the sharp rise in violence that South Africa is currently experiencing.
“We already had a very weak economy and the Covid crisis has destroyed many sectors of employment, especially for informal workers. I believe that the suffering that many South Africans feel goes hand in hand with the dysfunction of the majority ANC party. There is a kind of social crime, which is accompanied by a political crime, he explains. According to the researcher, “the protests for the release of Jacob Zuma thus became an opportunity for the looters, which enabled them to attack companies, especially supermarkets in townships. The next 48 hours will be crucial for the country, the government must regain control of the streets and it has very little time to do so before the riots spread to the rest of the country. It is a test for the police, for the government and, of course, for President Cyril Ramaphosa. ”
The Democratic Alliance, the ruling ANC opposition party, has announced that it will take legal action against several members of the Zuma family, claiming that they “stave off the flames on social media with impunity”.
From an economic perspective, in a country that is already in difficulty, the rand has fallen by 3% since the beginning of the week, the currency is at its lowest level since the beginning of April.
■ In the provinces, filter dams to protect cities from looting
Piles of sand and gravel block all roads leading to Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. Armed men filter the entrances to this small town. They have been mobilized since dawn. “This morning, we, the residents, decided to close our city to save it. We inspect each car and decide if its passengers pose a threat. At the moment, everything is going well “, one of them reports to our correspondent. Romain Song.
Faced with the risk of looting, self-defense groups were formed in places. Armed residents are sometimes more than the police. Underberg, new control. Here the men carry the ammunition that is thrown, the pistols have goggles and the younger ones connect baseball bats. Last night, part of the city was attacked.
“Several shops were looted and some were set on fire. You have the liquor store there and the clothing store. We know that another group of looters is expected for today, this afternoon or tonight. People are tired of all this, no matter where they come from, who they are, we have to look after them. It’s their private property and it’s their property that has been set on fire or stolen. ”
Underberg is the last city that stands, throws us an armed man. A few kilometers further on, we meet young boys with supermarket bags along the road. The next town was looted.
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