Violence spread to South Africa’s economic center after Zuma’s imprisonment Reuters

Johannesburg (Reuters)-After the imprisonment of former South African President Jacob Zuma on Sunday, sporadic violence spread to Johannesburg, shops were looted, parts of the M2 highway were closed, and protesters armed with sticks were in Johannesburg Parade on the streets. The main economic hub of the country.

The riots were mainly concentrated in Zuma’s hometown of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), and he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court on Wednesday night.

27 years after the African National Congress (ANC) expelled a small number of white rulers to usher in democracy, Zuma’s sentence and subsequent imprisonment were seen as a test of the ability of a post-apartheid country to enforce justice even for powerful politicians .

But his imprisonment angered Zuma’s supporters and exposed rifts within the ANC.

The police said criminals used anger to steal and cause damage. National intelligence agency NatJOINTS warned that those who incited violence could face criminal charges.

NatJOINTS stated in a statement that 62 people have been arrested in KZN and Gauteng provinces, where Johannesburg is located, since the beginning of the violence.

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) said there were robberies in the town of Alexandra and the suburbs of Jeppestown on Saturday night. After reports of shooting at passing vehicles, the M2 was shut down.

The Reuters TV crew saw a group of protesters brandishing clubs, golf clubs and tree branches. They whistled and marched through the Central Business District of Johannesburg, where liquor stores were stolen and shop windows were smashed.

Currently, the sale of alcohol is prohibited under lock-in restrictions aimed at alleviating hospital pressure during the severe “third wave” of COVID-19 infection.

KZN police spokesman Jay Naicker said more robberies have also occurred in the city of eThekwini, where Durban is located. “During this period, we have seen many criminals or opportunists trying to make themselves rich,” he said.

Zuma was sentenced to jail for ignoring the Constitutional Court’s order, which is investigating his high-level corruption investigation during the nine years in power before 2018.

He denied that there was widespread corruption under his leadership, but refused to cooperate with the investigation, which was conducted in the last few weeks of his tenure.

Zuma challenged his decision in the Constitutional Court, partly because of his alleged frailty and the risk of contracting COVID-19. This challenge will be heard on Monday.

The chairman of the parliament said on Sunday that they “expressed sympathy for the personal difficulties faced by former President Jacob Zuma. However, the supremacy of the rule of law and the constitution must prevail.”