A Newcastle Advertiser journalist has recounted what she described as ‘something out of a movie’, during the chaotic strike action in Osizweni last week (January 23).
She was stationed at Osizweni, having just returned from one protest site near the Utrecht road, when she witnessed the looting of a Pakistani shop at Five Star at around 8.30am:
“I had witnessed protesters positioned in the middle of the road with a burning tyre nearby. A police Nyala vehicle soon drove by, with police officers firing what seemed to be rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Protesters ran in different directions and I hid behind a vehicle, while also trying to take pictures of the scene. From there, I moved to the Five Star area. From a short distance away, I could see a crowd pulling burglar guards off a shop window. It seemed like a struggle at first, but the shop was soon broken into. A massive crowd then rushed inside the shop, people taking what ever they could get away with.”
The journalist further described what happened when one protester spotted her with a camera:
“While the looting happened, one protester saw me taking pictures and threatened to take my camera away. I told her if she tries anything, I would have police all over her because she was clearly recognisable. We exchanged words while she tried intimidating me, but I soon feared for my life because others started to move in my direction. Luckily, a police van then drove by and protesters ran in various directions. I quickly also managed to get away at that moment.”
Protesters in Osizweni had barricaded most exit roads leading to Madadeni and town. Skip bins and burning tyres were used to block the roadways. Looters got away with items such as bread, mielie meal and crates of cooldrinks.
The journalist next headed to the Osizweni Police Station, where she witnessed many Pakistani shop owners seeking refuge there:
“When I arrived at the police station, it was full. Shock and sadness was clearly visible on most of the shop owners’ faces, while some of them were angry. Inside the police station, some were writing their statements describing what happened to them, while others were gathered in groups outside. I tried speaking to most of them but they refused. The one guy, who identified himself as Akash Habib, called me one side and told me his shop was broken into just after 1am. He said protesters took everything and was not left with even 10 cents to his name.”
Read more in this week’s edition of the Newcastle Advertiser.
ALSO READ: Scenes of chaos as protesters loot local shops
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