Business owners lash out at police for failing to protect them amid protests

Business owners whose stores were looted in Malvern, Johannesburg, have lashed out at police, saying they failed to protect them.

Dozens of stores have been looted during sporadic protests in several parts of the city on Saturday night.

Several vehicles and stores were also torched.

It is believed that the protestors are pro-Zuma supporters calling for his release.

Melda Archery, who owns a grocery store in Johannesburg, says a gang of men robbed her of all her goods on Sunday morning.

“I requested the help of police but there was not one police van to be seen. In front of me and my husband, a gang of people broke into my shop. They took every single thing out and they are using Zuma as an excuse to let Zuma go.”

“Is Zuma going to reimburse me for all my money that I have lost? Because at this moment many shops have been broken into and burnt. People that I know – their cars were burnt. So who is going to reimburse us? I don’t think our government or the ANC is going to reimburse us for all of this,” adds Archery.

The situation in KwaZulu-Natal remains tense:

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