Tensions have eased in Newcastle in northern KwaZulu-Natal following two days of rampant protests and widespread looting at Osizweni and Madadeni townships. The municpality is in the process of clearing rocks and boulders from the roads.
The organisers of the protests say they want the council to be disbanded due to the municipality’s poor finances and a lack of services like refuse removal.
Children have returned to school on Friday morning. A private security company has indicated that looting continued well into the early hours of the morning. Looters caused large scale damage to shops and at least 160 people have been arrested.
Hardware shop owner, Phillip Soobramoney is devastated by the rampage and looting.
“This is over R1 million damage, over R1 million damage. The whole shop is wiped out, looted out, there’s nothing left, absolutely nothing left, nothing left. It’s actually a municipality issue but I don’t know why they’re actually looting our stores because we actually trying to render them a service you know sell for them build them up you know, but they are looting. At the moment sir, I don’t know really what to tell you, because my store is finished, there’s actually nothing left in my store. ”
Thursday saw violent protests blocking the road between Osizweni and Madadeni townships with burning tyres and rocks.
Mayor Ntuthuko Mahlaba, however, says the protests are a smokescreen to gain the upper hand in the African National Congress (ANC) in the region.
WATCH RELATED VIDEO BELOW:
