South African protesters demand President Rampahosa's resgination over economic crisis
'Ramaphosa must go'
In Pretoria’s Church Square, a huge poster made from white fabric, with "Ramaphosa must go" written in red paint, was tied to a fence.
Police clamp down on protesters
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) said in a statement that of the 87 arrested, 41 were in Gauteng, the province which includes the capital Pretoria and the main city Johannesburg, 29 were in North West province and 15 in Free State. There have also been arrests in other provinces such as Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape.
Nearly 3,500 troops dispatched to quell protests
The authorities said they were on high alert to maintain security, with nearly 3,500 troops available to assist police.
Protest rekindled memories July 2021 clashes
The protest call rekindled memories of clashes in July 2021 that saw the worst violence since the end of apartheid and advent of democracy in 1994.
Power shortages cripple South Africa
The power shortages have deeply amplified resentment in a country battered by stratospheric unemployment and soaring inflation. In the last three months of 2022, economic growth tumbled below pre-pandemic levels.
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