Johannesburg Riots: 10 Killed, 500 Arrested

Johannesburg has recently been in turmoil over political unrest. Last week, former South African President Jacob Zuma surrendering to authorities. This caused mass riots that saw over 500 people arrested, and 10 killed. Current President, Cyril Ramaphosa, vowed to restore order to the country. Rioters looted, and shut parts of the highway down. Stick wielding mobs also swarmed the streets ands clashed with police forces.

Why did all of this happen? Zuma was being investigating for corruption during his term in office. As a result, a court ordered him to to give evidence at an inquiry. However, Zuma allegedly ignored this and denied the charges. Although, this was not enough to satisfy the court, who ordered him jailed for 15 months. The charges were "contempt of court." This ruling sparked protests that exploded in wide spread chaos. The police struggled to contain the crowd and called for the South African military.

Ramaphosa grimly said those arrested were apprehended “in acts of public violence rarely seen in the history of our democracy. "President Joe Biden has not made a statement about the events in Johannesburg. Although, on June 13, 2021, the White House stated,"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. yesterday met with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa on the margins of the G7 Summit. They discussed the U.S.-South Africa bilateral relationship and underscored the need to expand global COVID-19 vaccine supply and to cooperate on climate goals in Africa and on other bilateral and regional issues."One would only hope the White House is keeping a close eye on the situation. Stay tuned to American Grit for more news, stories and updates.