More shops looted and burnt at KwaMashu area last night

Police had to work hard in a dangerous situation at KwaMashu area last night after foreign national shops were looted and some of them were burnt down.  Some of the roads were completely blockaded with burning tyres and stones. Yesterday, 12 April 2015 from the afternoon up to late last night, a number of foreign national shops were looted by the community. Some of these shops were burnt down. Police reacted to those incidents and a case of public violence was opened. Police managed to arrest a total of 28 suspects for public violence, business robbery and for possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition. All arrested suspects aged between 20 and 41 are due to appear in the Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court soon. The rumours that have circulated in the media, that two Somali people were killed in KwaMashu area, are not true.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni strongly condemned such attacks and vowed that those involved will be arrested and charged accordingly. "More arrests are expected to be made regarding these attacks. We urged those who were injured during the attack to come forward and open the cases so that they will be investigated. Our Public Order Police will still monitor and patrol those affected areas including Umlazi, Isipingo and Chatsworth." Ends/

Statement issued by Major Thulani Zwane, SAPS KZN, April 13 2015