Photo Courtesy ABC

At least 72 people have been killed in ongoing riots across South Africa, despite the efforts of heavily outnumbered authorities to quell the violent unrest sparked by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.

The South African Police Service said in a statement Tuesday that the death toll had risen to 27 in Zuma's home province of KwaZulu-Natal and to 45 in the economic hub of Gauteng province, with many of the fatalities occurring in "stampedes" as scores of people looted food, liquor, clothes and electrical appliances from shops in poor areas. Other deaths were caused by explosions when people tried to break into ATM machines as well as shootings, according to police. 

At least one police officer was killed in an attack on law enforcement, while seven others were injured while responding to the riots, police said.

So far, 1,234 people have been arrested, according to police, but the chaos has continued. Looters were seen ransacking warehouses and supermarkets in the port city of Durban on Tuesday, while rioters set fire to a chemical plant near the town of Umhlanga, just north of Durban.

The South African Police Service has recalled officers from leave and rest days, while the South African National Defence Forces has deployed thousands soldiers to assist the overstretched law enforcement agencies on the ground.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to "restore calm and order," describing the unrest as the worst the country has witnessed since the 1990s, before the end of the apartheid regime,

"Over the past few days and nights, there have been acts of public violence of a kind rarely seen in the history of our democracy," Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation on Monday evening. "Let me be clear: We will take action to protect every person in this country against the threat of violence, intimidation, theft and looting. We will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who perpetrate these actions and will ensure that they face the full might of our law."

The lawlessness has disrupted South Africa's COVID-19 vaccination program, which Ramaphosa warned will have "lasting effects on our ability to consolidate some of the progress we were already witnessing in our economic recovery." Vaccine shots are urgently needed in the country, which -- along with other nations in Africa -- is fighting a new wave of COVID-19 infections. The South African government recently reimposed and extended tight restrictions, including a nightly nationwide curfew, school closures, a ban gatherings and limits on alcohol sales.

Violence and unrest has gripped parts of South Africa since Zuma turned himself in to police on July 7 to begin his 15-month jail term for contempt of court. South Africa's highest court handed down the sentence after Zuma failed to appear before an inquiry examining corruption during the nine years that he served as president. Zuma has maintained his innocence, saying he is the victim of a politically motivated witch hunt, and his supporters took to the streets last week. But the protests appear to have reawakened deep-seated grievances over persistent poverty, unemployment and inequality, some 27 years after apartheid ended.

Following job layoffs and an economic downturn from the coronavirus pandemic, South Africa's unemployment rate stands at a record high of 32.6% and is even higher among the youth, at 46.3%, according to official numbers released in June by the national statistical service. Meanwhile, more than half of the country's 60 million people were living in poverty last year, according to data collected by the World Bank Group.

"There is no grievance, nor any political cause, that can justify the violence and destruction that we have seen in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng," Ramaphosa said. "The path of violence, of looting and anarchy, leads only to more violence and devastation. It leads to more poverty, more unemployment, and more loss of innocent life. This is not who we are as a people." ABC News

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo had a meeting for more than an hour with Burundian counterpart at the Palace of the Nation on Tuesday, according to the presidency.

Felix Tshisekedi and Evariste Ndayishimiye later chaired the signing of four memorandums of understanding (MoU).

"Our discussions therefore focused mainly on bilateral subjects but we also discussed subjects of interest to the Great Lakes Region, the East African Community," Ndayishimiye said in a series of tweets.

The MOUs concern the strengthening of peace, trade relations, development of a train line between Kindu-Uvira-Bujumbura-Kitega and political and diplomatic consultations.

"I am therefore happy to be in #Kinshasa and to have witnessed the signing of the agreements that will revitalize trade, social, political and diplomatic exchanges between #Burundi and #RDC,” said Ndayishimiye. “Our friendship and diplomatic ties were already excellent and strong.”

The Democratic Republic of Congo Presidency said last Sunday that the visit is in line with the materialization of the will of the two leaders to strengthen excellent relations of friendship and cooperation that bind the peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, as well as the peaceful coexistence between the respective peoples.

By Rodrigue Forku , Anadolu Agency

During a fiery PMQs clash, Starmer claimed the Prime Minister had given the "green light" to racism by failing to take a tougher stance against fans who booed England players.

It comes after a growing number of England players criticised the government on racism, with Tyrone Mings accusing Home Secretary Priti Patel of "stoking the fire" after she called taking the knee "gesture politics" and refused to condemn people booing platers for doing so.

Speaking on Wednesday, Starmer said: "Football is a game, racism isn't. That is why many of us have been involved in the charity, Show Racism The Red Card, for years.

"But far from giving the racism the red card, the Prime Minister gave it the green light. And I'll tell you the worst kind of gesture politics, putting an England shirt on over a shirt and tie whilst not condemning those booing is the worst kind of gesture."

He pointed towards comments made by the PM's spokesperson who said earlier in the competition that Johnson "fully respects the right of those who choose to peacefully protest and make their feelings known".The spokesperson had added: "On taking the knee, specifically, the prime minister is more focused on action rather than gestures. 

"We have taken action with things like the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities and that's what he's focused on delivering."

Starmer said the comments suggested Johnson was trying to have it "both ways" over the issue of taking the knee.

"This is really simple, either the Prime Minister is with the England players in their stand against racism or he can defend his own record, those of his ministers and some of his MPs, but he can't have it both ways," he continued.

"So can he tell the House, does he now regret failing to condemn those who booed England players for standing up to racism, yes or no?"

He added: "We can all see what is happening here, the government has been trying to stoke a culture war and they have realised they are on the wrong side. And now they hope that nobody has noticed."

But Johnson fired back, saying he was not engaged in a "political culture war" as he claimed he "utterly condems and abhor" the racist abuse aimed at the England squad.

The PM also claimed the government were taking tougher action to force social media firms to crack down on the vile messages and said further steps would be taken to ban those who send racist abuse from attending future football fixtures.

"I want to reiterate...our total support for our fantastic England team, and I support them in the way they show support with their friends who face racism," the PM said.

"We love and admire the England side and what they did. They represent the best of our country."

Johnson defended the home secretary over her comments, saying she had herself received racist abuse during her career.

"Nobody defends booing the England side but what the Home Secretary has been trying to do is not just to fight racism, but to take practical steps to advance the cause of black and minority ethnic groups, which she has done successfully," he added. Politics Home