WORLD : S. Africa Tries to Restore Order After 23 Die in Rioting, Looting
Heavily armed police in armored vehicles today tried to restore order in the southeastern city of Port Elizabeth after 23 people were reported killed in a night of rioting and looting.
Hundreds of rioters stormed through Port Elizabeth on Wednesday night, looting and attacking bystanders, police said.
“Criminal mobs ran amok . . . looting and burning shops at random and causing damage. . . . A baby was shot dead in its mother’s lap,” said local journalist Cliff Foster.
The rioting began Monday over a political dispute, but police said criminals had taken advantage of the confusion to start looting.
Police spokesman Major Bill Dennis said 18 people were killed by gunfire, but he did not have figures on how many of them were killed by police. Police repeatedly opened fire with shotguns and pistols to disperse the mob.
The rioters, who surged through parts of Port Elizabeth and surrounding townships, destroyed and burned 23 shops, six houses, two factories, one church and three schools, Dennis said.
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