South African government asks for 25,000 troops to curb unrest

IMAGES South African military tanks are deployed on the streets near Johannesburg as unrest rages for the sixth day running. Seventy-two people have died and more than 1,200 people have been arrested, according to official figures, since former president Jacob Zuma began a 15-month jail term, sparking protests that swiftly turned violent.

Looting has hit supply chains and transport links

The South African government on Wednesday sought to deploy around 25,000 troops to curb unrest, now in its sixth straight day, amid fears of food and fuel shortages as disruption to farming, manufacturing and oil refining began to bite.

Seventy-two people have died and more than 1,200 people arrested, according to official figures, since former president Jacob Zuma began a 15-month jail term, sparking protests that swiftly turned violent.

The government said 208 incidents of looting and vandalism were recorded Wednesday, as the number of troops deployed doubled to 5,000.

She did not say when the extra troops would be on the streets.

The country's consumer goods regulatory body estimated that more than 800 retail shops had been looted. 

State-owned logistics operator Transnet declared a "force majeure" on Wednesday -- an emergency beyond its control -- on a key rail line that links Johannesburg to the coast because of the unrest.

On Tuesday, the country's largest refinery SAPREF shuttered its plant in Durban, responsible for a third of South Africa's fuel supply.

- 'Massive humanitarian crisis' -

The lootings have "seriously compromised our energy security and food security," said Bonang Mohale, chancellor of  University of the Free State.

The country, which has recorded more than 2.2 million infections, is in the midst of a brutal virus third wave.

He warned that if law and order were not restored soon, "we are going to have a massive humanitarian crisis".

- Troop deployment -

But

A group of commuter minibus operators armed themselves with sticks and firearms on Wednesday and violently beat up suspected looters Vosloorus township, southeastern Johannesburg.

The new king of the Zulu community, Misuzulu Zulu, said violence had brought "great shame" on his people.

"This is unprecedented economic damage that is taking place," Mohale agreed.

Once dubbed the "Teflon president", Zuma was handed the jail term on June 29 by the Constitutional Court for bucking an order to appear before a commission probing the graft that proliferated under his administration.

...