South Africa witnessing worst civil unrest since 1994

South Africa has been rushed into the "worst civil unrest" after the end of white-minority rule in 1994, with the nation being gripped by riots and lootings. The turmoil has so far claimed more than 70 lives, and has caused tremendous loss to hundreds of business establishments.

Thursday, 15th July 2021

Former South African President Jacob Zuma

South Africa: South Africa has been rushed into the "worst civil unrest" after the end of white-minority rule in 1994, with the nation being gripped by riots and lootings. The turmoil has so far claimed more than 70 lives, and has caused tremendous loss to hundreds of business establishments. Notably, Violent demonstrations erupted in the country after the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma. He handed himself over last week to start a 15-month prison sentence in contempt of court case. What led to Zuma being jailed? Zuma was asked by the court to testify before an anti-corruption commission that is examining graft cases dating back to the days of his presidency. His refusal to testify to the commission led to contempt of court charges being framed against him. He was ordered to serve fifteen months in prison. Zuma supporters perceive an attack on ethnic group 'Zulu' Support for Zuma derives partly from his image as a man of the people during his 9 years in power until 2018, and because some see his jailing as an attack on the nation's largest ethnic group, Zulu. His supporters, who believe he is the victim of a political witch-hunt, burned tyres and blocked roads in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal. The protests snowballed into a major agitation, and led to violent demonstrations in several regions. Poverty, unemployment fuels crisis Although the violence was largely driven by Zuma's arrest, the underlying factors also include widespread poverty, inequality and unemployment among the masses. The hardship that persists 27 years after the end of apartheid is a major reason why hundreds of shops & dozens of malls have been stripped bare. Statistics agency data show approximately half of the country's 35 million adults live below the poverty line (BPL) and that young people are disproportionately affected by unemployment. According to the World Bank, South Africa remains a two-speed economy with "one of the highest inequality rates in the world". The country, which is also the African continent's most industrialised economy, had already entered into a phase of recession before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last year. The economy contracted by seven percent last year, plunging two million more people into poverty, according to the World Bank. The unemployment rate hit a record level of 32.6 percent in the first quarter of 2021. Two young people out of three are out of a job. Criminals involved As per the police, criminal gangs have taken benefit of the ongoing stir over Zuma's imprisonment. They are infiltrating among the demonstrators with the intent to break into shops, stores and warehouses. Over 1,200 alleged members of such gangs have been rounded up for the agitation turned violent.