Video material show police and South African National Defense Force members, going through stacks of airtime in the storeroom of a foreign-owned shop in the Middelburg Central Business District.

The video shows how uniformed members go into a ‘free-for-all’ looting frenzy with some grabbing a handful of vouchers and leaving whilst others opted to recharge their phones on the spot by scanning airtime bar codes in the store room.

Also read: Two SANDF officers in court for possession of explosives and cash

The shop owner said that he ran a financial loss of more than R200 000 after a specialised printing machine was damaged and air time vouchers, special paper to print vouchers on and cash was stolen from his business.

When the shop owner went to the Middelburg police station he was informed that no case was opened against him and nothing ‘confiscated’ at his business was handed in as evidence.

Brig. Leonard Hlathi confirmed that they are investigating a case of theft and that no arrests have yet been made.

• In another incident a member of the SANDF stationed in Middelburg was arrested in Mhluzi this week in connection with ATM bombings.