Violent protests ease in Pretoria

Violent protests eased in Pretoria on Thursday, but looting continued in surrounding areas, a security official said.

"The situation has stabilized as compared to the past 48 hours. In Pretoria, it's now calm but there are some sporadic incidents here and there in some areas surrounding Pretoria," Simphiwe Dlamini, spokesperson of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS), told Xinhua.

The situation was no longer tense as in the past two days thanks to what the law enforcement agencies had done to control the situation, Dlaminis said.

Widespread protests started on Monday in and around Pretoria, sparked by the ruling African National Congress decision to place Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate for Pretoria to replace current mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa in the upcoming elections, scheduled for August 3.

During the protests, houses were burned, buses torched and shops looted. At least two people were killed, Dlamini said.

Police have arrested more than 50 people suspected of involvement in acts of violence.

The suspects have been charged with public violence, theft and possession of stolen property.

Dlamini said residents are unhappy with Didiza, a former cabinet minister and preferred Ramokgopa as their mayor.

More suspects would be arrested as a crackdown on violence intensified, Dlamini said.

Pretoria police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza told Xinhua that they are still gathering the information about the damage caused by the protests. Endit