South Africa's President: Violence was planned and coordinated

After a week of violence, the military is deployed in parts of South Africa.

Although there are still isolated attacks, in addition to the clean-up work, research into the causes is now also starting.

Johannesburg - The days of protests and looting in parts of South Africa with at least 212 dead were coordinated by backers, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In a shopping center in the port city of Durban secured by three army tanks, he condemned the violence on Friday as an attack on democracy. “It is evident that all of these incidents and looting were instigated; there were people who planned it, coordinated it, ”said the 68-year-old. As a result, some have been identified. You would be wanted. "We will not allow anarchy and unrest in our country," he stressed.

Looking at the number of victims, the situation could have turned out worse, said Ramaphosa.

"Yes, we could have been better, but we were overwhelmed by the situation." The main goal of the police was to avoid further loss of life.

The aim of the unnamed backers was to destabilize the economy.

Contrary to what has been assumed, the violence is not ethnic.

Not yet complete normality

The number of deaths could rise even further, the minister in the presidential office, Khumbuzo Ntshaveni, later announced.

Despite isolated attacks, especially in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal, the military has largely brought the situation under control, so that important traffic axes are now open.

"The situation in the two provinces is gradually but surely returning to normal," said Ntshaveni.

In total, there have been more than 2,500 arrests so far.

In the Alexandra township near Johannesburg, the armed forces chief, General Rudzani Maphwanga, warned after the demonstrative landing of a heavy transport helicopter: “We will answer violence with violence;

we will not allow economic sabotage. "

South Africa's government has now mobilized 25,000 soldiers to end the violent protests in the affected provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the metropolitan area around the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg (Gauteng Province).

It is one of the largest military operations in the history of a democratic South Africa.

They are also used as a precaution in other provinces.

Violence leads to supply bottlenecks

According to Ramaphosa, 95 people were killed in KwaZulu-Natal alone. The day before, 117 deaths were officially announced nationwide - 91 of them in the coastal province, where there were reports of isolated attacks on Friday night. The supply bottlenecks are worsening there. Refinery closures resulted in long lines in front of Durban's few open gas stations. The government warned against buying hamsters and banned the filling of petrol cans. Since drug stores and clinics have also been looted, drugs are in short supply. According to the dairy organization Sampro, farmers also have to destroy milk as it cannot be transported from the stables.

The protests were initially directed against the imprisonment of ex-President Jacob Zuma from KwaZulu-Natal, who had to serve a 15-month prison sentence for disregarding the judiciary. Violent riots followed the protest. When asked about a pardon, Ntshaveni said: "The Minister of Justice has made it clear that ex-President Jacob Zuma qualifies for a pardon within three months and three weeks and for a pardon for medical reasons if he applies."