President Jacob Zuma has directed government to restore normalcy in Soweto and Malamulele, in Limpopo.

“The President has instructed the Security Cluster in Cabinet as well as the provincial and local government leadership in Gauteng and Limpopo to work together to bring the situation under control and work towards restoring normalcy,” the Presidency said on Friday.

Zuma is currently out of the country as he is attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. His deputy Cyril Ramaphosa is also out of the country on a working visit to Tanzania.

The acting President is Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa, who is keeping the President informed of the developments.

Malamulele has seen violent protests over the last few days, which has brought the township to a standstill, with learners being barred from attending school.

Residents are monitoring roads to ensure no business takes place and a forced shutdown of schools as well as shops in the local mall remains enforced.

Reports say protesters in Malamulele are demanding a municipality separate from Thulamela, a situation which has fuelled tensions between Tshivenda and Xitsonga speakers and triggered division among local traditional leaders as some regard it as a tribal issue.

In Soweto, police remain on a high alert. Unrest and looting of foreign-owned shops in Soweto began on Monday when a foreign shop owner shot dead a 14-year-old boy, whom he alleged was trying to forcefully gain entry into his shop.

The shop owner appeared in court Thursday but his case was postponed to next week.

Police have arrested 121 people from around the township and retrieved 11 guns.