WATCH: Liquor establishment bears the brunt of Monday night CBD riot
Limited damaged reported by bystanders and community groups
As parts of the greater Johannesburg area suffer physical, economic and morale damaging acts of anarchy, thankfully, Roodepoort has been spared any serious incidents so far. The only noteworthy flare-up of opportunistic criminality occurred in the vicinity of the Station Street and Albertina Sisulu Road intersection on July 12.
Just before 19:00 on Monday evening a mob much smaller than those plastered on television and smartphone screens across the country, caused light damage to shops close to the intersection. The store that bore the brunt of the madness was a tavern on Station Street close to Albertina Sisulu Road, which was ransacked by a mob in search of currently banned intoxicants.
As the situation developed, authorities closed the bridge leading into the CBD from Roodepoort North. Already in the CBD, one eyewitness recalled the frantic moments. “As soon as we got to the traffic lights near the Shell garage everybody suddenly ran in our direction. Moments later we heard gunshots and police sirens, and security told us to go home or they’ll shoot us along with the crowd. Then they formed a roadblock which was already late because some shops were broken into,” said Kutlwano Segaetsho.
Watch here:
Community groups have banded together to protect their neighbourhoods, and Roodepoort ICE members were on the streets throughout the night monitoring the situation. “They said they were coming back, but there was no further unrest,” said ICE’s Faeez Rahim. Kutlwano backed up this threat, saying, “The guys who were running from the cops said they will wait for the cops to leave so they could break into Sunshine Liquor”.
By Tuesday morning, clean-up efforts were being completed outside the looted premises, with extra security bars being welded to the doors. The Chinese owners of the tavern were not willing to talk about the incident or share their thoughts on the effects the current situation was having on business owners. Normal trading resumed and as of Tuesday afternoon, the streets of Roodepoort were still calm.
