Johanesburg, July 23: South African police have clashed with protestersm, who demanded improved services and more jobs, firing teargas and rubber bullets at residents of townships.
In one of the worst disturbances since Jacob Zuma, the country’s president, took office in May, thousands of demonstrators marched in Johannesburg, the Western Cape and the north-eastern region of Mpumalanga, saying they would escalate protests if the ruling ANC fails to fulfill its promises to provide housing, jobs and medical care.
More than 100 people have been arrested over the course of the unrest in the past week.
The crisis unfolds as the global economic downturn has put the South African government under increased pressure to keep up record levels of economic growth and reduce unemployment.
When he came to power in May, President Zuma promised to improve service delivery, adding that fighting poverty was his priority.
Earlier in June, however, South Africa announced that it was facing its worst recession in 17 years.
Escalating tension in South African townships comes as a reminiscence of violence against foreigners last year in which more than 60 people were killed.
—-Agencies