The number of troops deployed to reinforce overwhelmed police doubled for a second day running, to 10,000, a cabinet minister told a press conference. It is unclear when the reinforcements might actually be deployed, as the mobilisation will take weeks to take effect. Health services in South Africa are already under massive strain as the country suffers a third wave of Covid-19 infections. In the port city of Durban, hundreds of people queued outside food stores hours before they opened as lines of cars also formed outside fuel stations. The lootings have “seriously compromised our energy security and food security,” said Bonang Mohale, the chancellor of University of the Free State.

Source: The Guardian July 15, 2021 06:51 UTC