Afrox centres in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, have not been petrol bombed as purported on messages circulating on social media.
The company has rejected these claims as false.
The company supplies critical oxygen supplies to hospitals.
In a statement, the company’s corporate and marketing manager, Nolundi Rawana, says they have put in place emergency plans to ensure that supplies of medical oxygen are transported to hospitals under police escort.
Afrox spokesperson says the center in Durban remains secure unaffected by rioting, contrary to media,Twitter speculation. Afrox operations continuing under emergency plans, supplies of Medical Oxygen to hospitals continues @StephenGrootes #Afrox #safmsunrise pic.twitter.com/pUmTjzQfXU
— SAfmRadio ? (@SAfmRadio) July 14, 2021
Emer-G-Med spokesperson Kyle van Reenen has confirmed that Afrox is operating as normal, but says they are investigating claims of a courier company that has been affected.
“We can confirm at this stage that Afrox has not been attacked. There are no fires on site at Afrox. It is in fact one of the local distribution centres. We believe it to be Massmart or one of the courier companies in the area. However, those facts are still to be confirmed.”
“Such [false messages] must please not be distributed on social media it is creating unnecessary panic. The fire that [is] taking place emergency service are in attendance and are dealing with it in the best of their ability,” adds Van Reenen.
Community mourns
It was feared the company was affected as some communities around KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng continue to vandalise property and loot shops.
This has led to some residents heading to the streets, patrolling their communities to protect property.
This has, however, ended tragically for a family and the community of Phoenix, north of Durban, one community member was killed while on patrol on Monday.
Phoenix resident Reena Rabikrishan says the community is traumatised.
“While I was on the road talking to my neighbours, a car came past and they were screaming at everyone saying tonight we are going to show you. They were stopped from entering and that is when we barricaded the roads and that incident that happened, they ran the man over and then turned around and shot him while he was laying on the floor,” explains Rabikrishan.
Tributes are also pouring in for Chatsworth pastor Adrian Naidoo, who is believed to have been killed in a drive-by shooting earlier this week.
Dead body found in Durban CBD
