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At least five people killed in violent protests in Pretoria

Xinhua, June 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least five people have been killed during violent protests in and around Pretoria, police said on Thursday.

"Two more bodies have been found following the unrest and continued looting at the Central City Shopping Mall in Mabopane, north of Tshwane (Pretoria) in the early hours today. This brings to five the total number of bodies recovered since the start of the unrest in various areas in and around Tshwane since Sunday," police spokesperson Noxolo Kweza told Xinhua.

Between Wednesday and Thursday, more than 100 suspects involved in acts of violence have been arrested, bringing to 200 the total number of people rounded up by police, Kweza said.

They are charged with public violence, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of stolen property and malicious damage to property, and they will appear at different courts in due course, said Kweza.

Violent protests broke out on Sunday when the ruling African National Congress (ANC) presented former cabinet minister Thoko Didiza as its candidate for Pretoria mayor to replace current mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa in the local government elections, scheduled for August 3.

The protesters are unhappy with Didiza and preferred Ramokgopa as their mayor. But the ANC said it would not change its candidate.

During the protests, many foreign-owned shops were looted, houses burned and buses torched.

Police said the situation was now calm in some areas but still tense in others.

Kweza said looting spread to north Tshwane on Wednesday night, despite an intensified crackdown.

Police appealed for calm and were monitoring the situation, he said. Enditem