Unrest spreads in South Africa as Zuma challenges sentence

RIOTS continued in South Africa as former president Jacob Zuma challenged his sentence in the country's top court.

Unrest began last week after Zuma handed himself over to police to begin a 15-month jail sentence on Thursday (8).

Several people have been killed and dozens arrested in the riots, BBC reported.

Zuma, 79, was sentenced on June 29 for failing to appear at the corruption inquiry led by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo in February.

The ousted leader is hoping to get his sentence cancelled or reduced at the constitutional court hearing. However, as per legal experts his chances of success are slim.

A video footage on Monday (12) showed a fire at a shopping centre in Zuma's home province of KwaZulu-Natal, and people rushing in to loot.

According to reports, a supermarket was ransacked and violence spread to the city of Johannesburg.

On Sunday (11), protesters armed with sticks, golf clubs and branches were seen marching through Johannesburg's central business district, the BBC report said.

Six people have been killed and more than 200 arrested since the unrest began, as per a South African government intelligence body.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appealed for calm, saying that while people "may be hurt and angry" there is no justification for the violence.