Riots Hit South African Capital

Reuters: Rioting hits S.African capital after ANC names mayoral candidate

* Protesters burn buses, barricade roads in Pretoria
* Ruling party faces closely fought local elections (Recasts violence continues, govt officials, analyst quotes)

PRETORIA, June 21 Protesters burned buses and barricaded roads in South Africa's capital on Tuesday in an escalating dispute over the ruling party's mayoral candidate for local elections in August.

The vote is expected to be closely fought and will pose a major test for the African National Congress (ANC) as it looks ahead to a 2019 presidential election in the face of a strong challenge from the opposition and an economic slowdown.

Disturbances erupted on Monday night as residents of Pretoria's impoverished townships set vehicles and tyres on fire to block roads after the ANC's national leadership named a mayoral candidate not nominated by its regional branches.

Rioters looted shops, torched vehicles and placed rocks and other debris across roads on Wednesday, snarling traffic and business in the capital of Africa's most industrialised country.

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More News On Today's Riots In the South African Capital

South Africa unrest over ANC's Tshwane candidate -- BBC
Riots hit South African capital over announcement of mayoral candidate -- DW
Riots rock South Africa's capital ahead of vote -- AFP
Protests Rocking South African Capital Highlight ANC Divide -- Bloomberg
Tshwane events threaten South Africa -- News24
ANALYSIS: Is this why Tshwane is burning? -- News24