The South African military said on Monday it was deploying soldiers in two provinces, including its economic hub of Johannesburg, to help police cope with looting and arson attacks on businesses.
“The South African National Defence Force has commenced with pre-deployment processes and procedures in line with a request for assistance received… to assist law enforcement agencies deployed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces respectively to quell the unrest that has gripped both Provinces in the last few days,” it said in a statement.
Security forces will assist law enforcement after both provinces experienced violent unrest following the arrest of former South African president Jacob Zuma.
#BREAKING: South Africa deploys military to quell unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal provinces, army says #ZumaUnrest #zumaprotests #JacobZuma #GautengShutdown #kwaZulunatal #SouthAfrica
— africanews (@africanews) July 12, 2021
Zuma is serving time for defying a court order to testify before a state-backed inquiry probing allegations of corruption during his term as president from 2009 to 2018.
Source: Africanews