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Jul 14, 2021, 6 tweets

Days of riots and looting in South Africa have left more than 70 people dead, hurt thousands of businesses and damaged major infrastructure in some of the worst civil unrest since the end of white minority rule in 1994.

What is driving the violence? reut.rs/3wzFQ3a 1/6

Zuma's jailing

The unrest started after ex-president Jacob Zuma handed himself over last week to start a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court. Zuma supporters burned tyres and blocked roads in his home province 2/6

Poverty, Inequality

The hardship that persists 27 years after the end of apartheid is a major reason why hundreds of shops and dozens of malls have been stripped bare.

Statistics agency data show roughly half of the country's 35 million adults live below the poverty line 3/6

COVID-19

COVID-19 has exacerbated poverty, with a recent survey showing a sharp increase in hunger.

Although the government increased social grants, it cannot afford to match the costly furlough schemes of wealthier nations 4/6

Criminal elements

Police say some criminals have been taking advantage of anger over Zuma's imprisonment to steal and cause destruction. So far more than 1,200 people have been arrested 5/6

The latest: South Africans rallied to protect their property after days of looting and destruction, lending a hand to struggling security forces as President Cyril Ramaphosa considered sending more troops onto the streets reut.rs/2VMr1Od 6/6

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