Dawn Park Shopping Centre stores reopen following unrest
Dozens of shoppers were recently seen flocking to various stores at the Dawn Park Shopping Centre following the looting and vandalism.
Although most businesses at the Dawn Park Shopping Centre have reopened their doors, owners said they fear the worst following last month’s looting.
The Advertiser visited the centre recently and spoke to a few business owners who had to pick up the pieces after their stores were plagued by vandalism and looting, which began on July 12.
Carlos Jardim, manager of Roots Butchery, which was one of the badly affected stores, said they were happy to be operational again after closing their doors for two weeks.
“A lot of money has been put in to restock and buy machines, computers and forklift batteries that were stolen during the looting. What I witnessed on July 12 left me devastated because our long hours and everything we have invested into the store to bring better services in the townships was destroyed within hours.”
Jardim said they are now operating in fear because they don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
One of the employees at the store, Nhlanhla Khoza, said he was relieved when he was told to come back to work.
“Although a lot of money has been pumped in in order to restock, I am glad that at least the building wasn’t burnt,” he said.
One of the shoppers, Palesa Tsotetsi, said they were also severely affected because they had to board a taxi to go to Sunward Park to buy meat and other essential items whereas such services were brought closer to home to save costs.
Another store owner, Adis Zaheer, who runs Zubi Technologies, said the estimated damage cost him about R26 000.
“Ever since the unrest we are scared. All we do is hope that what happened doesn’t happen again,” he said.
Other affected stores, such as Bonke Internet Café, Shoprite, AutoZone, Clothing Junction, as well as ATMs were up and running.
The violence was allegedly linked to the violent protests that were taking place in Kwa-Zulu Natal, seemingly over the incarceration of Jacob Zuma.
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