Riots in South Africa kills a total of 276 people.

From the latest violence in South Africa 276 people have died , with police investigating 168 murder cases, the cabinet minister said Wednesday.

The unrest began as a protest against the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma two weeks ago in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal. But it quickly grew into arson and looting, and spread to the Gauteng province, home to the largest city in Johannesburg.

The extent of the devastation and loss of life, which is compounded by poverty and inequality that continues nearly three decades after the end of apartheid in 1994, remains unclear. The death toll stood at 215 on Monday.
During a news conference, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the acting minister in the presidency said that there were now 234 deaths related to violence in KwaZulu-Natal and 42 in Gauteng.

Authorities succeeded in curbing the violence. But the economic cost is estimated at 20 billion ($ 1.37 billion) for KwaZulu-Natal alone, as 161 supermarkets, 11 warehouses and eight factories were badly damaged. The extent of the damage in Gauteng is still being investigated.

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