Mir wrote:Most of the looters are actually their (ANC) support base so they chose to treat them with soft gloves - it failed miserably.
They probably sold off or stole all the riot control equipment. So far I have not seen any water cannons or even tear gas and no riot gear.
You're right.
I'm just wondering this morning, which Countries could something like this NOT happen?
We've seen looting in the USA by "Black Lives Matter", etc, and pretty much nothing done. Black citizens saying afterwards: "Now I don't even have a grocery store left in my neighborhood."
We've watched all the antifa violence, etc in the Northwest. & pretty much nothing done.
We've witnessed Pandemic panic buying, stores stripped, even today, there is still some shortages of things in stores, the supply chains snarled up. So even tho we have a police force and military, unless the US brought out the military in a big way, I can really see something like this happening here. But bringing out the military is imho, something the US could and probably would do in a case like this.
South Africa looting: I'm struggling to find food
By Farouk Chothia
BBC News
Published8 hours ago
"We are stocking up on dry food, and things like potatoes and onions. The shop owner said farms are inaccessible, and there will be no vegetables once his stocks run out," John added.
His other worry is medication for his chronically ill wife.
"Some of the big pharmaceutical chains have been looted or are closed. I went to a small pharmacy that is still open. I queued for three hours to get medication. Baby food and nappies are in huge demand," John said.
There are also fears of fuel shortages - something most South Africans have never experienced in their lives.
"At my petrol station, only one pump is open. There are long queues. I have half a tank of petrol left," John added.
He does not need much fuel at the moment though, as it is not safe to travel outside his suburb.
Furthermore, some adjacent suburbs have been blocked off by residents who have formed neighbourhood watch groups, or what local media call "defence squads", to prevent invasions.
"They don't allow any non-resident in, not even during the day, so even if I want to, I can't take a drive there to look for groceries," John said.
In his suburb, the neighbourhood patrol operates only at night. He has joined it, along with about 25 other men.
"Some have guns, but most of us just carry sticks, pipes and torches. I never thought I'll ever do this, but we have no choice. There are no police; no soldiers," he said.
"We block all intersections with our cars. Some of us will stand there; others will do foot patrols.
"If we get suspicious of someone we'll tell them to leave, and we've had a few instances of unregistered cars. We suspect they had come to survey our area to plan an attack," John said.
Raising money to help victims
In some other Durban neighbourhoods there have been violent confrontations, with large numbers of looters managing to raid shops and some homes before armed residents opened fire, forcing them to retreat. Some were shot.
Local leaders from both communities stepped in to negotiate a "no looting; no shooting" agreement, hoping that this will prevent a further escalation of conflict and help restore stability in a country shaken by the unrest.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57835756