Scenes of chaos as protesters loot local shops

A journalist from the Newcastle Advertiser witnessed looting taking place.

January 23, 2020

Charmaine Mazibuko 1 minute read

Chaos unfolds as protest action gets underway.

Protesters in Osizweni have barricaded most exit roads leading to Madadeni and town.

Skip bins and burning tyres were used to block the roadways. A Newcastle Advertiser journalist witnessed looting at the Five Star Pakistan shop, next to the local municipality building. The looting went on for about 20 minutes before police arrived and the crowd dispersed.

Looting takes place at Five Star corner.

Looters got away with items such as crates of cooldrinks, bread and mielie meal. One owner of a Pakistani shop at Kwamakhasane, Akash Habib said looters gathered at his shop just after 1am:

“They came to my shop and took everything. I’m left with absolutely nothing, not even 10 cents to my name. I called police, but by the time they arrived, it was over for my shop. They had taken everything.”

Akash Habib’s shop was looted by protesters, and he is left with nothing.

Habib was at the Osizweni Police Station, reporting the case.

In another incident, on the Utrecht Road, police were present and used rubber bullets on some of the protesters, who were burning tyres on the road and had placed rocks to half traffic. The crowd dispersed after the police opened fire on them.