After protests and looting: South Africa has a respite

The violent looting in South Africa has plunged the country into deep crisis. In the meantime the situation has eased somewhat – also because more and more citizens are standing in the way of the looters.

“No to looting!” – “No to looting!” This is written on cardboard boxes that people in Soweto hold up at a rally. Here, where a shopping mall was destroyed yesterday, they cheer each other on to stand up to criminals.

“We say no. We are not destroying our own infrastructure. Let us represent the interests of black South Africans,” the rally participants chant. “We’re not destroying ourselves. We’re protecting the supermarket, we’re protecting the clothing store, we’re protecting the mall. Let’s protect what is ours together.”

Real vigilante groups have formed elsewhere to protect their residential areas and businesses from looters. This spirit is now blowing through both of the affected provinces, Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal. In downtown Durban, for example, bizarre scenes take place. Individual looters are still on the way and are being chased by the police, while ordinary citizens are already starting to sweep up all the rubbish that is scattered around.

No general all-clear

“We’re trying to clean up. The shop here and back there were on fire,” says a man. “But we see the police and just hope it’s safe enough to clean up.”

The reason for the protests and looting was the arrival of former President Jacob Zuma on Thursday. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison for disregarding the court in a corruption investigation. The protests that followed quickly turned to violence. Many buildings were completely destroyed.

Such large crowds as in the past few days are no longer on the move. There are only a few who are hunting for prey. It is true that no general all-clear can be given, but it can be felt that the will is there to change the situation. From noon onwards, ministers and parliamentarians could be seen in various places and talked to people.

Billions in damage

In the poor Alexandra district of Johannesburg, the military lends a hand to secure stolen goods. One reporter describes it as follows: “It was people from Alexandra who told the police where to find the things.” Doors, clothes, food and furniture would be loaded. “You can even see refrigerators and beds on the truck here. The police managed to secure these goods.”

The damage is still enormous, it runs into billions. The infrastructure has been destroyed and there is a lack of supplies. Merchants are currently trying to get groceries and gasoline from different directions than usual.

The consequences are now felt by the poorest, says Andy du Plessis, who heads the organization Food Forward SA, which fights against the widespread hunger in poor communities. “Our warehouse in Durban was looted at ten on Monday evening, and our refrigerated truck was stolen. All the food that was in our warehouse was stolen,” says du Plessis.

“This is pure crime”

They should have stopped their activities in KwaZulu-Natal. And to protect their goods, they also closed the branches in Johannesburg and across the country. “As a result, we are not currently distributing food to poor people. That worries us.”

For the Deputy Minister for State Security, Zizi Kodwa, it seems natural to think that it was not just the poor, unemployed people who took their chance. “We do follow how people were instigated.” There had already been inflammatory statements in the past to make the country ungovernable. “What we see now has nothing to do with the fact that the former president was imprisoned. This is pure crime. There is a plan behind it, the whole process was well organized,” said Kodwa.

Investigations in this direction are already underway while the clean-up continues. Regardless of whether the looting and pillage continues or not, the number of victims is already sobering. At least 72 people were killed in the riots, and probably more. These are the bloodiest protests since democracy began in South Africa.