After 14 days of violent protests against the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma, the death toll has risen to 337 in South Africa, Acting Presidential Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday (22) . Until Wednesday (21), the official number was 276.
The acts, which began on July 9, quickly resulted in a wave of vandalism. Protesters armed with bats, golf clubs and pieces of wood ransacked shops and set buildings on fire. On July 12, the country’s military announced it would send troops to the streets of two of its main provinces, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
In the predominantly Indian city of Phoenix, 20 people, all black, were murdered in the recent wave of violence.
In the midst of funeral chants, Linda Dlamini mourned the death of her brother. Njabulo Dlamini, 31, was shot dead on July 12 while working on his taxi in the city. Accompanied by friends, Njabulo was heading for a rush for work when the group was intercepted by “guards,” Linda told AFP. He was sleeping in the back seat.
“He woke up and started running, but he was shot in the head,” Linda said through tears. “After that, they beat him, leaving several scars on his head.”
When police arrived, the assailants were about to burn her brother and a friend to death, Linda said. They were taken to hospital, but Njabulo could not resist. Crimes in Phoenix are called racism. Local police said they would investigate the case.
On July 18, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accompanied cleanup crews through the rubble of a looted shopping center in the city of Soweto. The attacks have already caused nearly $ 1.2 million in damage to the country.
The former South African president was allowed to attend his brother’s funeral on Thursday (22), which took place in the eastern town of Nkandla, local authorities said.
After the outbreak of violence, the trial of Zuma, arrested for contempt of court after ignoring summons during an investigation into corruption in his government, resumed with a virtual hearing on July 19. He is on trial for bribes that allegedly took place over 20 years ago.