Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been sentenced to prison. On the other hand, there is resistance that turns into violence.
The protests that have been going on for days are spreading in South Africa. At the same time the willingness to use violence is growing.
A large shopping center was in flames in the east of the country on Monday, while protesters in the northern economic metropolis of Johannesburg paralyzed bus and train connections, as reported by the TV station eNCA. Tens of thousands of commuters were stuck, it was said.
The demonstrations, which began a few days ago as a protest against the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma, have turned into “ethnically motivated violence,” warned President Cyril Ramaphosa in a TV address on Sunday evening.
Zuma belongs to the Zulu ethnic group, while Ramaphosa belongs to the Venda group and large parts of its supporters within the ruling party belong to the Xhosa group. Tribalism (tribal system) is not tolerated in South Africa, said Ramaphosa; Violent criminals would be prosecuted.
Zuma was sentenced to a 15-month prison sentence last week for disregarding the judiciary, starting on Wednesday. Since then, according to the government, riots have led to an estimated damage of 100 million rand (six million euros). Two people were killed and dozen injured in exchanges of fire between demonstrators and police. Protesters blocked major highways, looted shops and ATMs, and pelted cars with stones.
Zuma has to answer to a commission of inquiry for various allegations of corruption during his term of office (2009-2018), but did not accept a subpoena. On Monday, the Constitutional Court is examining Zuma’s application for the annulment of the prison sentence – a procedure that is not actually provided for in a supreme court decision.
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