African Union condemns violence in South Africa

The African Union Commission has condemned the violence in South Africa that has so far claimed 72 lives.

Protests against the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma sparked looting and destruction of property in some provinces.
In a statement by the AU commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, he condemned in the strongest terms the surge of violence that has resulted in the deaths of civilians and appalling scenes of the looting of public and private property. The army was deployed to combat the violence and thousands have been arrested.

“The chairperson calls for an urgent restoration of order, peace and stability in the country in full respect of the rule of law,” the statement added.
He said failure to resolve the crisis would have “grave impacts” in the country and the region.

Crowds clashed with police and ransacked or set ablaze shopping malls in cities across South Africa on Tuesday, with dozens of people reported killed, as grievances unleashed by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma boiled over into the worst violence in years.