Staff at China City on high alert following violent protests
Provincial SAPS spokesperson, Lt/Col Thulani Zwane said police had anticipated further protest action with patrollers monitoring the area.
THE situation at China City shopping Centre on Inanda Road remains tense following violent protests yesterday.
A 45-year-old woman fell to her death while trying to escape on the mall roof. Today, mall staff said they were on high alert.
“This morning we opened our gates as usual and the mall was open for business. At about 10.30am some of our customers and tenants said they were afraid because they had heard that the protesters were returning. We called the police and they sent a vehicle out, but no protesters have arrived yet. The police have been here for about an hour so far,” said a China City office staff member who wished to remain anonymous.
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The staff member said protests yesterday had been violent.
“A large crowd came marching to our gate. Some of them tried to jump over our fence and they lit fires in our parking lot bins,” they said.
Provincial SAPS spokesperson, Lt/Col Thulani Zwane said police had anticipated further protest action today with patrols monitoring the area.
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“The protest was not at the mall as such, but in that vicinity. Protesters were all over, in Sea Cow Lake, Kenville, Springfield Park and on the N2 Highway. We don’t know why they were protesting. The protest action was violent. Protesters were looting and vandalising shops and burning tyres. Today, police are patrolling the area, but there has been no action yet. In addition to the woman who fell off the roof and died, there were two men who were shot and killed on Sunday and Monday. One died instantly,” said Zwane.
Conflicting reports from the scene came in as Mohammed Passin, operations director for Spring Light Security claimed the mall was closed down. He urged the community to avoid the area.
“There are about 25 security personnel on standby following rumours of a crowd from Kenville heading this way. We took precautions and evacuated the area, but nothing has happened so far,” he said.
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