S Africa’s president says he won’t allow ‘anarchy and mayhem’

JOHANNESBURG: President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday his government would not allow "anarchy and mayhem" to prevail in South Africa after violence this week which he suggested had been deliberately provoked.

Ramaphosa made the remarks when he visited Ethekwini Municipality, which includes the port city Durban, one of the areas worst hit in a week of looting and arson that destroyed hundreds of businesses and killed more than 100 people.

The president said the government was doing everything it could to deal with unrest which he said had severely dented investor confidence and hit South Africa's economic recovery. "We will not allow anarchy and mayhem," Ramaphosa said.