Death Toll From Violence and Looting Now Stands At 117, Says Acting Minister In The Presidency

THE death toll of the unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal has reached 117 as of Thursday, and over 1,700 people have been arrested. 

Twenty six people have died in Gauteng and 91 in KwaZulu-Natal.

The announcement was made by Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on Thursday.

Ntshavheni has also defended the Cabinet, following accusations that ministers within the Security and Economic clusters have been lying low during recent protests and ongoing looting in the country.

She added that 12 instigators of violence have been identified but no names have been released out of fear that it will jeopardise investigations.

According to authorities, most of the deaths in the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces “relate to stampedes that occurred during incidents of looting of shops” when thousands of