unsungvictories reblogged
HERE IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA.
How did it start?
- The protests erupted after Jacob Zuma, the former President of South Africa turned himself to the police.
- The former president had to serve a jail sentence due to contempt of court.
- Zuma had refused to appear before a panel.
- The Constitutional Court of South Africa, the apex court of the country, sentenced Zuma to 15-months in prison for refusing to appear before the inquiry panel and contempt of court on June 29.
- Zuma is additionally facing 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering.
- Zuma was not immediately arrested and tried to delay his arrest but on July 8, the former president and Apartheid activist turned himself in.
- His loyal supporters, especially from his home province of KwaZulu-Natal threatened to form human barricades to stop the police from arresting him.
- Zuma supporters took to the street to protest in large numbers.
- the protests soon expanded from the arrest of the former president to widespread agitation against poverty levels and record levels of unemployment.
- South African military has deployed over 1000 troops to tackle the riot as the police forces are strained.
What's happening?
- KwaZulu Natal and areas of Gauteng have been turned into literal war zones, with the police and SANDF going head-to-head with thousands of looters and criminals.
- 1,234 people have been arrested so far, and they will also be facing additional charges related to the Disaster Management Act and breaking lockdown rules.
- medical supplies and emergency services also impacted due to routes being blocked.
- The death toll climbed to 72 from rioting in South Africa.
- many people trampled to death during looting at stores, as police and the military fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to try to halt the unrest set off by the imprisonment last week of former President Jacob Zuma.
