Ten people were arrested in Delft for looting a shop
Image: File
SAPS have confirmed the arrest of 10 people after opportunistic looting broke out in Delft on Tuesday as anti-immigration marches unfolded across Cape Town.
The arrests came on a day when thousands of law enforcement officers were deployed across the city in anticipation of the widely publicised June 30 demonstrations, following weeks of fears that the protests could trigger widespread unrest and xenophobic violence.
While marches in the Cape Town CBD, Kraaifontein and other parts of the metro remained largely peaceful, Delft became one of the day's few flashpoints after opportunistic criminals allegedly targeted a shop in Main Road, Voorbrug.
Witnesses said the incident unfolded during the afternoon, with what they described as gangsters, chancers and opportunistic criminals using the day's tensions as an opportunity to loot businesses. Several shop owners closed their doors and remained inside, fearing they would become targets.
Earlier, the City of Cape Town confirmed that its services had responded to Delft after a group looted a shop in Main Road, adding that it was awaiting confirmation from SAPS on arrests linked to the incident.
The City also reported that, apart from the Delft incident and a brief disturbance in Kraaifontein where a stun grenade was discharged after sections of a crowd became riotous following the handover of a memorandum to SAPS, no other major incidents had been reported across the metro.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that Delft police registered cases of public violence and malicious damage to property following the incident.
According to police, access to the shop was gained through the roof.
"We can confirm that one female and nine males between the ages of 18 and 45 were arrested. They are due to appear in the Bellville Magistrates' Court once they have been charged," Twigg said.
Authorities have continued to urge residents to remain calm and to report only first-hand incidents or credible threats as police and City law enforcement officers remain deployed across Cape Town to monitor the June 30 demonstrations.