Saturday, 24 January 2015

More arrests after Kagiso looting




More than a dozen people were arrested overnight in Kagiso, on the West Rand, following violence and looting of foreign-owned shops, Gauteng police said today.

"We had a few people trying to loot," Warrant Officer Solomon Sibiya said.

"We had about 13 arrests, of which six were minors who were released into parental custody."

They would appear in court soon to face charges of public violence.

Sibiya said that no "major incidents" were reported overnight and that the area remained quiet up until 9.30am on Saturday.

Looting of foreign-owned shops in Soweto began on Monday when a Somalian man allegedly shot dead a 14-year-old boy accused of being part of a group trying to break into his store.


Gauteng police commissioner Lt-General Lesetja Mothiba said the looting had since spread to Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, and Kagiso.

Sibiya said a 61-year-old bystander died when a foreigner fired at a crowd stoning his shop in Swaneville on Thursday night.

The man was shot in the chest and died on arrival at hospital. No arrests had been made and a murder case had been opened.

Also on Thursday, in Tshepisong, a man was wounded while allegedly trying to break into a spaza shop belonging to a foreigner.

"As soon as they managed to open the roller door, the owner came out with a firearm in his hand. He then fired shots directed at the crowd."

The group scattered. Sibiya said one of them was wounded in the upper body. He was taken to hospital in a stable condition. The injured man's age was not clear.

"The foreign national... was arrested and detained at Kagiso police station. The firearm used was also confiscated."

Daily Sun

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