Two dead and 153 arrested as foreign shops targeted by looters in South Africa

Two people have died as mobs have looted more than 80 foreign-owned shops amid major disorder in South Africa, prompting 153 arrests. President Jacob Zuma has called for order to be restored following days of violence in Johannesburg’s Soweto township. ”The president has instructed the security cluster in cabinet as well as the provincial and local government … to work together to bring the situation under control and work towards restoring normalcy,” Mr Zuma’s office said in a statement. One foreign shopkeeper was shot dead by a teenager who allegedly tried to rob him.

Youths addicted to drugs are taking advantage of this situation - they are targeting specific items from the shops, cigarettes, airtime and cash.

Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba, police commissioner of Gauteng

And police spokesman Kay Makhubela said at least 80 shops, most of them owned by Somalis, have been looted over the past few days. ”Young boys wanted to rob a shop and the owner opened fire and killed one of them,” said Makhubela. “That made the community angry, and that’s what started all this.” The boy who was killed was 14 and the shopkeeper who shot him is a foreign national. Dozens of people now face charges of public violence - including a police officer reportedly caught on film participating in the looting.

Africa Johannesburg