Tongaat residents and business owners were greeted by heart-rending scenes on the first days of relative calm yesterday and today.

The town was torn apart by violent protests and looting this week, rioters using petrol bombs, makeshift crowbars and their bare hands to strip the town, leaving residents struggling for daily essentials.

The tensions continued throughout Monday and Tuesday, leaving residents with little recourse and ability to protect their businesses and streets.

Civilian watches have become common across KwaZulu-Natal and Tongaat is no different, with many residents staying awake for days at a time to prevent further violence.

Similarly, security guards of various stores have continued to work with nothing left to guard, trying their best to keep the peace.

Most were willing to talk to the Courier but asked not to be named, fearing further conflicts.

While looting has been commonplace across the province, Tongaat also saw many buildings burnt, the epicentre being at Shoprite centre on Gopalall Hurbans Street.

At least 9 businesses were completely burnt in the centre, including Shoprite, Pep, a salon, cellphone store and bottle store.

This after the stock in the stores was completely cleaned out, leaving little but forgotten items in the wreckage.

Shoprite was still on fire when the Courier visited at 8am yesterday morning while isolated looters continued to try and take what they could from surrounding stores.

Rioters also damaged property at the outlying areas of Gandhi’s Hill and Waterways, some distance from the town centre.

Wandy Mhlungu, who owns a salon near Waterways, was stuck in Johannesburg and forced to watch the situation unfold from afar.

“I was not able to come to Tongaat to try and protect my salon. I have 3 salons on the North Coast and only the one in Ballito is still safe,” he said.

He rushed through to KZN as soon as possible, arriving in Tongaat this morning to see what was left of his businesses.

“I know that the looting is bad but I really cannot understand why the buildings had to be burnt. What is the point of that?”

Although he was still trying to figure out the situation that unfolded before him, Mhlungu estimated that between 4 and 6 of his employees would lose their jobs as a result.

Scattered groups of residents tried to clean up the main street, but vast amounts of debris still littered central Tongaat.

No stores along the main thoroughfare were open yesterday, although Fresh Bake general store was trying to secure a delivery of bread loaves for residents.

Today residents were seen queueing for food at two stores.