Springfield reflect on a year of rising from the KZN unrest ashes
Despite mass devastation and looting, these Springfield stores re-opened in record time.
SPRINGFIELD was among the worst-hit areas during the KZN unrest in July 2021, as looters flocked to the many superstores along Intersite Avenue and surrounds.
Among the stores ravaged by looters were Hirsch’s Homestores and Makro Springfield – both devastated by looting and extensive damage. These stores were back on their feet within weeks or months after the unrest.
At Hirsch’s Homestores, more than R20m in stock was stolen while structural damage brought the total loss to about R50m. The store’s shelves were empty, the safe that housed the cellphone stock had been broken into with an angle grinder, and money and goods had also been stolen. What’s more, a section of the store roof was damaged by fire.
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Yet, Hirsch’s was one of the first stores to re-open. Looking back, Richard Hirsch, CEO of the Hirsch’s Homestore Group, says that the ordeal has strengthened the community.
“We made a quick recovery after the looting, thanks to our own team and everyone who helped to get the shop up and running again.”
“We are hugely grateful for the help that we received from our neighbours and suppliers, as this definitely helped us bounce back into business. It has built our resilience. We had to help ourselves, and we, of course, helped our neighbours in turn. If anything, it built a much stronger bond in our community,” said Hirsch.
Across the road, Durban’s iconic Makro store, based in Springfield, was severely damaged during the July riots of 2021. The store was scorched by a massive fire that destroyed much of its infrastructure. After just five months, the store re-opened in December 2021.
Looking back on how far the store has come, Makro Springfield general manager, Sue-Anne Jones, said, “We want to welcome back our loyal customers and honour them as well as celebrate our associates who have supported us during this very difficult time. To welcome our shoppers home, there will be incredible in-store deals and promotions – it’s our way of saying thank you.”
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Makro was quick in their resolve, ensuring that none of their staff was left without jobs, redeploying them to other stores in KwaZulu-Natal. “The loss of Makro was felt by so many small business owners in the community because they were used to buying in bulk at competitive prices. Many families also suffered due to job losses as well as the inconvenience of not having access to basic supplies,” said Tanya Sigamoney, senior brand strategist for Makro.
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