Six dead in South Africa riots over jailing of ex-leader Zuma

Smoke covers the skyline as people protest in Johannesburg (Themba Hadebe/AP)

Rioting triggered by the imprisonment of former South African President Jacob Zuma escalated on Monday as shopping centres in Johannesburg were looted, major roads were blocked by burning tyres and the police and military struggled to contain the violence.

The unrest started last week in KwaZulu-Natal province after Zuma was imprisoned for contempt of court.