A Church leader in KwaZulu-Natal has made an impassioned plea to President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the call for the release of former President Jacob Zuma from prison.

The violent protests started in parts of KwaZulu-Natal after the Constitutional Court sentenced former President Jacob Zuma to 15 months imprisonment for contempt of court after he refused to continue testifying at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture despite being ordered to do so.

He is currently being incarcerated in the Estcourt Correctional Facility in KwaZulu-Natal.

eThekwini Community Church leader Pastor Mathew Khomo says he believes that this would end the ongoing violent protests in the province and some parts of Johannesburg.

“We are making a special plea to the President to make sure that the release the old man, the man is too old. Once they release the former president Jacob Zuma we know that the situation is going to be normal in our province. We just need his intervention, they have made their point that no one is above the law but they can release him now and make him conclude his sentence sitting at home. We are also praying for the old man that his sick and old his can not survive the prison.”

Violent protests spreading across Johannesburg: Metro Police

Johannesburg Metro Police say violent protests are spreading to many parts of the city, with Hillbrow and Alexandra being the latest affected areas.

Protests have also been reported in areas including Malvern, Jeppestown, Denver, Wynberg and the Johannesburg  CBD where some businesses have been looted.

Dozens of stores have been looted and torched by demonstrators.

Jules Street in Malvern, the M2 freeway at the Benrose offramp and a number of other roads have been completely blocked off to traffic.

Police officers are out in their numbers re-routing traffic away from the affected areas.

It’s still unclear at this stage how many people have been arrested.

Pro-Zuma protests spill over to Johannesburg, SAPS on high alert