Enemies of democracy behind South Africa protests, says president

DURBAN, South Africa: The wave of protest and looting that swept across much of South Africa over the past week was planned by enemies of democracy in a deliberate effort to sow chaos, the president has said.Week-long violence and looting that have shaken South Africa were “planned,” South

African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday, vowing that his government would hunt down those responsible.

“It is quite clear that all these incidents of unrest and looting were instigated -- there were people who planned it and coordinated it,” Ramaphosa said in a visit to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, the flarepoint for post-apartheid South Africa’s worst crisis.

“We are going after them,” Ramaphosa told reporters.

“We have identified a good number of them, and we will not allow anarchy and mayhem to just unfold in our country.”

The government said on Thursday that one of the suspected instigators had been arrested and 11 were under surveillance.

Shopping malls and warehouses have been ransacked in KZN and Johannesburg, stoking fears of shortages and inflicting a devastating blow to the an already battered economy. Around 120 people have died, some shot and others killed in looting stampedes.

The unrest followed protests triggered by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma, who was handed a 15-month jail term for snubbing a corruption investigation.

Zuma, whose home province is KZN, commands support among loyalists in the ruling African National Congress (ANC), who portray him as a champion of the poor

In scenes that have stunned the nation, looters have casually plundered stores, pharmacies and in one case a blood bank, hauling away goods as police stood by, seemingly powerless to act.