Bellville looting claims not true, it was a brawl in a mall – cops

Western Cape police denied there were any xenophobic attacks and looting in Bellville on Monday, putting it down to a brawl in a mall instead.

“The situation was quickly resolved,” said Brigadier Novela Potelwa amid jitters over the looting that occurred in Johannesburg and Tshwane.

The argument was at the Middestad Mall.

“Due to the location’s close proximity to the Bellville taxi interchange, the incident was misconstrued to be an attack on businesses owned by foreign nationals in the area.

“Currently, the situation remains calm in the Bellville CBD. The SAPS wishes to reassure all that the area is quiet with no incidents reported.”

Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said 30 people were arrested for looting a local grocery chain store in Samora Machel on Sunday, while another five were nabbed for looting smaller shops during an apparent protest.

The bodies of a woman and man were found on the premises of the looted store.

The circumstances surrounding their deaths are currently under investigation.

In Johannesburg, two people were reportedly killed on Sunday following a spate of violence in the CBD, Malvern, Jeppestown and Hillbrow. Five others were injured.

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