Dozens of protesters arrested in South Africa
South African police arrested 59 people in Johannesburg overnight following post election protests, authorities said Saturday.
Police used rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, who burned tires in the township of Alexandria.
“Peace and calm has been restored in the community of Alexandra,” said Police Brig. Neville Malila.
All those arrested will appear in court Monday, he said.
The African National Congress won the general election, holding on to power despite economic woes and corruption allegations.
Provisional results show the ruling party got 62.2% of the vote. The Democratic Alliance placed a distant second with 22.2% of the vote, while four other parties split the rest.
Millions voted Wednesday to pick 400 members of Parliament as well as representatives in new legislatures in the nation’s nine provinces, according to the South African Press Association.
The electoral commission reported just over 73% turnout among the nation’s 25 million registered voters.
The ANC has governed for 20 years and still enjoys widespread support after the defeat of the apartheid system and the beginning of democracy in South Africa.
But its popularity has taken a hit amid various scandals, including allegations of President Jacob Zuma misusing more than $20 million of public money in improvements to his sprawling rural homestead in Nkandla. He has denied any wrongdoing.
(CNN)