Why the arrest of former South African President Zuma sparked protests, violence, and looting

Years of social and economic turmoil heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic boiled over in South Africa with the imprisonment of ex-president Jacob Zuma, leading to the deadly unrest rocking the country, a political scientist told Insider Wednesday. 

South Africa was "volatile" even before Zuma — who was president from 2009 to 2018 — turned himself over to police last week to serve a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court, said Liv Tørres, the director of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies at New York University's Center on International Cooperation. 

"What has been growing over years and years has been both an increasing level of tension and anger," explained Tørres. "Anger among the poor that the promises they were given during the transition to democracy about delivery of jobs and future hopes have not been kept, basically."

By Natalie Musumeci.

Full story at Business Insider.