This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
South Africa is grappling with the aftermath of violent protests sparked by the incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma, who is serving a 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court.
As of Monday, six people have been confirmed dead, with more than 300 arrested by police for their alleged involvement in the unrest.
The protests, which began in Zuma's home province of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday, escalated over the weekend and spread to Johannesburg, with the city's central business district and surrounding areas experiencing some unrest.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation concerning the violence, which has been mostly affecting Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
According to the South African Police Service, the bodies of four people were discovered over the weekend, with one found with gunshot wounds in Germiston and another in Dobsonville. Two more people were killed in KwaZulu-Natal, one in Inanda and the second in Umbilo.
The South African National Defence Forces (SANDF) has been deployed in areas regarded as 'hot spots' in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, with the SANDF stating that their deployment objective is to provide safety and a safe working environment for police and other law enforcement agencies.
Former President Zuma was convicted of contempt of court after refusing to obey summons to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.
A man gestures as rioters loot the Jabulani Mall in the Soweto district of Johannesburg on July 12, 2021. PHOTO | AFP
A man carries looted goods outside a liquor store at the Jabulani Mall in Soweto, southwest of Johannesburg, on July 12, 2021. PHOTO | AFP
