Businesses count costs of #TshwaneUnrest
|Published
22/06/2016. A police officer fires rubber bullets into a group of Slovo extension 4 residents looting a store in the township. Picture: Oupa Mokoena 22/06/2016. A police officer fires rubber bullets into a group of Slovo extension 4 residents looting a store in the township. Picture: Oupa Mokoena
Pretoria - As two people were reportedly killed in the unrest that has gripped the capital in the past few days, various sectors were counting the losses suffered as a result of the widespread violence.
The business community was among the worst hit, with losses including a property deal valued at R12 million that was cancelled because of the instability of the city on Tuesday.
According to the Capital City Business Chamber, a sector survey showed the potential loss due to the unrest ranged from a couple of hundreds to millions.
The losses were as a result of a combination of factors, including staff unable to get to work, deliveries that could not be done and factory shifts that were cancelled as a result of the unprecedented protests.
Head of the business chamber Werner Smith said it was obvious that the unrest was not anticipated, but things could have been better had there been effective communication from the city’s metro police as well as the SAPS.
The City of Tshwane was also affected by the protests, and apart from having to vacate most of its offices, including the Isivuno House administrative headquarters, basic services were disrupted in Mabopane, Soshanguve, Ga-Rankuwa and Winterveld as well as Mamelodi.
Municipal spokesman Selby Bokaba said services such as water, electricity and refuse removal were disrupted.
Bokaba said some municipal staff members were intimidated and attacked, while some were prevented from going to work.
“We are exploring various options of stabilising the situation and safeguarding our staff to enable them to render services unhindered,” he added.
Peace and calm were slowly being restored across the city over the past 24 hours, and most of the businesses and offices that had closed shop on Monday for fear of possible looting were trading.
The looting nonetheless went on in townships plagued by the protests, culminating in the fatal shooting of two people in Mamelodi West during the looting of a shop owned by a foreign national.
“We are still investigating who fired the shots, but a case of murder has been opened,” said police spokeswoman Colonel Noxolo Kweza.
All in all, police said they had arrested more than 40 people between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. They will appear in court soon on charges of public violence, theft and possession of stolen property.
The situation was calmer from late on Tuesday night with all major roads in and around the city, including the N1, which had been blocked by protesters on Tuesday afternoon, reopened said metro police executive director Console Tleane. The R101, R80 and Molefi Makinta were also open and fully operational.
“We wish to promise residents and businesses that no effort has been spared to ensure the situation is restored to normal. We continue to advise everyone to remain vigilant and cautious, without necessarily panicking,” Tleane added.
Police indicated that provisional figures with regards to damage to property were that 19 buses had been burnt since Monday as well as cars.
At least five trucks were burnt to ashes, while several shacks, four buildings, and two shopping malls were looted and subsequently closed. The affected malls were Attlyn in Atteridgeville and Thorn Tree in Mabopane.
Buses were still out of action in some areas of town. The city also suspended the Tshwane Bus Service on Tuesday due to the volatile situation. It was unclear last night if the metro buses would resume operations today.
Marks Khumalo, who lives in Hammanskraal and works in the city centre, said he hitch-hiked to work as there were no buses. He had no money for taxis because he used a monthly bus ticket.
The protests that plunged the city into anarchy started simmering on Sunday night after it became clear Thoko Didiza would be named the mayoral candidate for the capital.
When the nomination became official on Monday, a faction that favoured incumbent Kgosientso Ramokgopa went into a fit of rage later that day.
Several buses were torched overnight in Mamelodi, while in Atteridgeville, two trucks and a bus were set alight the same night. The violent protests continued in Ga-Rankuwa and Hammanskraal, as well as various other townships across the city.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Deliwe de Lange said the lawlessness happening in the city would not be tolerated.
De Lange said those found breaking the law under the pretext of the politically motivated protests would be arrested immediately.
Police were on the ground to protect communities, the Gauteng top cop said, and appealed to communities to be calm. She also slammed those responsible for the false SMS which caused unnecessary panic.
sakhile.ndlazi@inl.co.za
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