WATCH: North mall fenced off to ‘ward off looters’
The move came after several shopping centres were attacked by rampaging mobs who stole goods before setting some buildings alight in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
A mall in the north of Pretoria has erected a barbed-wire fence around the building in an apparent bid to thwart “overnight looting”.
As businesses in parts of KwaZulu-Natal continued to be looted and set alight on Tuesday, as part of the ongoing unrest in the province, which spread through Gauteng from Sunday, many retail centres were gripped by fear of copy-cat attacks.
The Wonderpark shopping centre had a long barbed wire fence erected around the building on Tuesday night.
Akasia police spokesperson Constable Lindiwe Mdluli said the management of the centre alerted police that they would be fencing off the building “as a precautionary measure fearing overnight looting”.
“There were no incidents of looting reported at the centre. The management said this was a measure to prevent crime or people coming inside the mall to loot,” she said.
“It is not related to any incident, however, serves as a precautionary measure.”
Mdluli said the fencing was only affecting the shopping centre and not any other buildings.
READ MORE: Mams community join hands with police to fight off looters
On Monday night, two shopping malls in Mamelodi were looted during the night, leaving several stores damaged.
Meanwhile, Gauteng premier David Makhura has condemned the looting which turned deadly in Meadowlands in Soweto.
Makhura said there were several people who killed in a stampede during the lootings.
“The gains we have made in revitalising our economy are being reversed by the looting, destruction and shutting down of businesses.”
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