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South African President Ramaphosa in a riot-hit area in the port city of Durban
Photo: BABA JIYANE / GCIS HANDOUT / EPA
The South African government does not want to tolerate the serious riots in the country any longer.
"We will not allow anarchy and unrest in our country," said President Cyril Ramaphosa during a visit to a shopping center in Durban affected by the nationwide looting.
The complex was secured by army tanks during Ramaphosa's visit.
Ramaphosa described the riots as an attack on the country's democracy - and blamed backers for the violence. “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. Exactly who he meant, the president left open, but said that some perpetrators had been identified. According to the government, the situation is "gradually returning to normal" across the country.
Ramaphosa was self-critical about the government's response to the riots.
"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, said Ramaphosa.
Contrary to what has been assumed, the violence is not ethnic.
The riots in South Africa broke out after the ex-President Jacob Zuma from KwaZulu-Natal began serving a 15-month prison sentence for disregarding the judiciary.
Army chief: "Will answer violence with violence"
The military, which had been called in to support the police for days, announced that it would take tough action against further riots.
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 mobilized another 25,000 soldiers on Thursday 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 democratic South Africa.
According to government figures, 212 people across the country were killed in the riots.
Most of the victims were found in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Supply bottlenecks paralyze the country
There were supply bottlenecks in all of South Africa after the riot.
One problem is the blocking of important transport routes, warned consumer organizations.
The strategically important motorway between Durban and Johannesburg reopened during the day.
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.
fek / dpa / Reuters
