Death toll rises to 212 in South Africa's violent protest

Two hundred and twelve people were killed in the past week's violent protest happening in the eastern regions of South Africa, said the country's Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni Friday when briefing the media.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) reported 89 more deaths Friday, bringing the cumulative total to 180 fatalities, while Gauteng had a total of 32 deaths. The police has arrested 862 people in Gauteng and 1,692 more in KZN, according to the official.

Ntshavheni said the situation in Gauteng and KZN is "gradually, but firmly" returning to normality since Thursday, but it remains tense in some areas in KZN. The police received reports of 1,488 cases in KZN overnight while no new incidence was reported in Gauteng.

The police arrested two suspects in KZN with 4,000 rounds of ammunition and unlicensed firearms.

The number of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployed has increased to 25,000. They remain in Gauteng's hotspots and have also been deployed in other provinces because "we don't want the instigators to take advantage of other provinces," said the official. (ANI/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )