WATCH: SANDF takes control of Alex’s Pan
ALEXANDRA – The arrival of soldiers at Alex's Pan Africa Shopping Centre dispersed those looting and vandalising the shops in and around the mall on July 13.
Members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have been stationed at Alexandra’s Pan Africa Shopping Centre since this afternoon, July 13, bringing an element of control to the chaos.
Over the past few days, the shopping centre and stores around them have been targeted, looted and emptied out by members of the public.
ALSO READ: IN PICTURES: Looting continues at Alex’s Pan Africa Mall
The popular shopping district – often colloquially referred to as Pan – was filled with looters grabbing whatever they could.
The arrival of the soldiers immediately resulted in large groups of people fleeing the scene. The SANDF was then able to control the area along Second Avenue. Soldiers were accompanied by police officers who arrested anyone involved in any transgressions.
One such incident took place about an hour after the soldiers’ arrival and monitoring of the scene when it was suspected that people were shooting in the direction of the military. The soldiers were quick to identify where the fire was coming from and were able to apprehend several suspects.
The soldiers forced these suspects to lie on the ground while they searched the area for the suspected firearm, which the men denied being in possession of or having used. Police on the scene arrested two of the men while the SANDF members continued to patrol roads around the shopping centre.
Watch a video of this incident here:
It was also discovered people were still in the shopping centre, suspected to be looting and were rounded up by the police and arrested.
Police and the SANDF continued to patrol the area to ensure that further acts of looting and vandalism did not take place while members of the community stood at a distance looking on.
ALSO READ: ANALYSIS: Alex historian deplores the ongoing looting
