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So far, six people have been confirmed dead amid #FreeZuma protests in South Africa, where the military has been deployed to ease tensions.
The protests were reportedly organized by supporters of former incarcerated president Jacob Zuma, 79, demanding his release.
Zuma was jailed for 15 months for contempt of court and is serving his sentence at Estcourt Correctional Center in KwaZulu-Natal, where he visited last Wednesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation over the violence primarily affecting the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal.
More than 300 people have been arrested by police in connection with the burning of trucks, looting of shops, burning of tires and blocking of some main roads.
Most stores were closed on Monday as some business owners feared their establishments could be attacked.
“On Sunday morning, the police responded to a call from the Alexandra clinic, where they found a body with gunshot wounds. Later that day, the body of a security guard injured by assault was found in Jeppestown, ”the South African Police Department said in a statement.
“The third body was also discovered Sunday evening in Dobsonville while the fourth body was discovered with gunshot wounds in Germiston,” the service said, adding that one of the victims was a security guard and that investigations would establish the exact causes of death.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, there is a report of two people who were killed, one in Inanda and the second in Umbilo. The circumstances that led to their deaths are under investigation.
Police in “hot spots”
With police struggling to contain the protests, the South African National Defense Forces (SANDF) have since been deployed to areas considered “hot spots” in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
“SANDF has initiated pre-deployment processes and procedures in accordance with a request for assistance received from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, to assist law enforcement agencies deployed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to appease the unrest which gripped the two provinces in recent days, ”SANDF said in a statement.
“The deployment will begin as soon as all the processes are in place. The duration and number of soldiers will be determined on the basis of the assessment of the situation on the ground by the relevant law enforcement authorities.
“In addition, it should be emphasized that the objective of SANDF deployment is to provide a safe and secure working environment for police and other law enforcement agencies while they perform their duties. their constitutionally policing functions. “
The case
Zuma was found in contempt of court after refusing to obey a summons to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the state capture allegations.
His incarceration sparked a wave of protests in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.
Violence escalated on weekends and from Saturday evening to Monday protests were reported in Johannesburg.
Johannesburg’s central business district and surrounding areas such as Jeppestown, Berea, Malvern and Denver have experienced unrest.
The townships of Alexandra, Bramley and Wynberg, near the affluent suburb of Sandton, have also been affected by the violence.
The public is awaiting the outcome of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Zuma’s request to quash his prison sentence.
The Supreme Court has yet to deliver its judgment after hearing arguments from its legal representatives on Monday.
The protests come as South Africa battles a third wave of Covid-19 infections, with most protesters seen without masks.
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