Scores of people in Valhalla Park looted stores and a butchery on Monday, sparking anger on social media. Videos of the incident clearly show looters making away with whole carcasses, packs of meat and other goods – including a freezer. Some also appeared to fight over the loot. The incident has been condemned as an act of pure criminality and deviance.
[Accessed: Times Live]
The chairperson of the Bishop Lavis CPF precinct overseeing Bonteheuwel and the Netreg areas said that although he knows who is behind the incident, he could not disclose any names.
He says that what the community has done cannot be condoned, irrespective of socioeconomic circumstances and instigation.
“I understand the socioeconomic stuff, but this is total criminality. People just decided to take whatever they want from people who have worked very hard and we cannot condone that. We cannot say that because you are struggling you can take what you want from whoever you want. We know that there are problems but it’s a criminal act,” said the chairperson of the Bishop Lavis CPF, Graham Lindhorst.
People in Valhalla Park in the Western Cape openly carrying away meat after the mass looting of the Valhalla Park Butchery pic.twitter.com/JxWUsdn7QJ
— Ashraf Garda (@AshrafGarda) September 24, 2019
The value of the looted goods has not yet been established and no arrests have been made thus far, according to Lindhorst.
He added that although SAPS was on the scene, they decided not to arrest anyone – supposedly because there were too many looters.
Lindhorst intends to take that issue up as well.
Unsurprisingly, public commentary on the looting has been mixed. While some cite South Africa’s levels of inequality and economic strife as a justification for the looting incident, most are condemning the act as nothing more than criminal and unjust. Some also suspect gang influence.
THIS APPARENTLY HAPPENED IN VALHALLA PARK. SCUM, OF THE EARTH LOOTED A BUTCHER STEALING A WHOLE SHEEP EVEN A DEEP…
Posted by Hassiem Salie on Tuesday, 24 September 2019
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