South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has promised to deliver better services, such as water and housing, in a bid to end township protests this month. But he warned that there could be no justification for violence. Mr Zuma also urged understanding from council and other workers threatening to strike for higher wages.
Some 200 people have been arrested in the demonstrations, which revived memories of the deadly xenophobic attacks on foreigners last year. Fifteen years after the African National Congress won its first election, more than one million South Africans still live in shacks, many without access to electricity or running water.
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Johannesburg says most of the anger has been directed towards local officials and not Mr Zuma, who has only been in power for two months. "Our constitution allows our people the right of freedom of assembly and expression and to protest where they feel they need to, but this must be done within the ambit of the law," Mr Zuma said. "There can be no justification for violence, looting and destruction of property or attacks on foreign nationals residing in our country," he said.
<<Print>>