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From Our Own Correspondent: Counting the cost: the homes and livelihoods destroyed in South Africa’s riots

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Counting the cost: the homes and livelihoods destroyed in South Africa’s riots

24/07/2021 GMT

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, Counting the cost: the homes and livelihoods destroyed in South Africa’s riots

A writer in Cape Town calls family and friends to hear who lost what in the recent riots

South Africa is calm after riots triggered by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma. His supporters were blamed for the unrest, but it’s ordinary citizens who lost most.

Stories from South Africa, the Netherlands, Brazil and Azerbaijan

Shops destroyed, homes ransacked, people killed in the streets: South Africa is recovering from the worst civil unrest for many years. This was triggered by the imprisonment of the country’s former President, Jacob Zuma, in connection with allegations of corruption – indeed, some claim it was his supporters who started it. The British writer, Gregory Mthembu-Salter has lived in South Africa for many years, and has been hearing from extended family and friends who lost out in the violence.

With China and parts of Europe hit by severe flooding, there have been more demands for tougher measures to combat climate change. The equation is simple: warmer air holds more moisture, so global heating will mean more severe downpours. This is a particular threat for the Netherlands, where most of the country is below sea level, or only just above it. Anna Holligan has been hearing how Dutch people reacted to this latest sign of an existential threat to their country.

There have been more protests in Brazil, whose controversial President is blamed by many for failing to tackle Covid. More than half a million in the country have now died from the disease, but Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed it as no more than “a little flu.” He has opposed many attempts to lock the country down, and is against asking people to wear masks - yet some of those out on the streets are demonstrating in favour of their President. Orla Guerin went to meet them.

Sometimes it’s the little things which are a sign of bigger changes. Colin Freeman reported on the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, where he saw particularly fierce fighting in the town of Shusha. On his first trip, it was Armenians in charge, but he returned after troops from Azerbaijan took over. And how could he tell? Well for a start, there was Azerbaijani beer on sale in the local hotel.

(Image: A shopping mall, looted following unrest at the jailing of former South African President Jacob Zuma. Credit: Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko)

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