MEC applauds communities in province for not looting

MEC Vusi Shongwe of the Community Safety, Security and Liaison in Mpumalanga applauded the communities in the province last week for protecting businesses.

A statement dated July 15, referred to business owners’ efforts to protect their own shopping centres from looting and vandalism, in the true spirit of nation-building.

“They refused to be part of looting and destroying existing businesses across many towns and cities,” Mr Shongwe said.

“There is no justification for destroying other people’s property and businesses.”

He also said that although some shops were looted, the situation could have been worse, was it not for the majority of the people who opted to prioritise livelihoods and jobs rather than senseless anarchy.

He also thanked members of the media.

“We are grateful to all the people, security formations, taxi operators, civic organisations and business entities, who contributed towards averting massive job losses by making efforts to thwart looting and destruction of infrastructure.”

He appealed to police to ensure that they work around the clock to arrest any person linked to unrest in the province.

Communities were reminded that no amount of grievances could justify destruction of other people’s businesses.

He also called on communities not to take the law into their own hands, but to report instigators to police.
In conclusion, he called for increased co-operation among stakeholders within the security cluster, not only to react to such incidences, but to also prevent them from occurring and detecting them in the planning stages.