Picking up the pieces: KZN small towns still reeling after lootings

It’s Wednesday morning and Somme Street in the Howick CBD is a hive of activity. Displays of fresh fruit, airtime vouchers and loose cigarettes pepper the sidewalks – while the bustling taxi rank provides a steady stream of customers for the men and women who man the stalls.

At first, it looks like business as usual. But a month ago to the day, wanton violence erupted across KwaZulu-Natal and saw almost all of the storefronts lining Somme Street smashed and stock worth millions of rands stolen. The following day, the looters returned and torched what was left. And this busy little hub is still reeling.

Beyond the cramped sidewalks, all that’s left of many of the stores are the bare bones of their structures – their windows and walls are no more and the gaping holes expose nothing more than columns, beams and piles of rubble inside.

Some of those who managed to salvage stock – or who have since been able to replace what they lost – have now joined the informal traders out on the sidewalk. Mohamed Aleem Qaisar is one of them. He lost R300 000 worth of stock when his store, Jutt Cellular, was hit.

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He didn’t have insurance and now after four years of pouring his blood, sweat and tears into his store, he’s now back to square one. “I have to start again,” he said. His tone is firm and matter-of-fact. But the worry is etched on his face.

Another business owner on the same road who asked not to be identified lost stock worth more than R100 000, including cell phones, screens and speakers. He did not have insurance – and is less confident than Qaisir if he would be able to recover.“We’ll see,” he said. “I’m scared because I’d have to take stock on credit and then what if this happens again in another six months’ time?”

The devastation in big cities like Durban and Pietermaritzburg last month has been well documented. But small towns, like Howick, were also hit hard.

A survey conducted by the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Un-ion (Kwanalu) showed that economic activities in more than half of its rural towns (55%) had been “totally demolished”.It indicated further that more than 15% of these towns had experienced “severe” damage – between 40% and 80% – to businesses and trade and that another 15% had experienced “limited” loot-ing – between 11% and 40% – with their centres left “partially intact ”.

Small towns across the vast province were hit – from Nongoma, KwaMbonambi, Empangeni and Esikhawini in the north; to Umzinto, Harding, Umzinto, Izingolweni and Port Edward in the south; to Ixopo, Wartburg, Under-berg and Mooi River inland.

Chief executive of the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business Melanie Veness said the impact of last month’s unrest on small businesses in small towns would have a spiral effect on the broader economy.

“A lot of people are going to have to reimagine their businesses because they now have to restock and so they can’t afford premises anymore,” Veness said.– bernadettew@citizen.co.za