Manenberg residents have blamed a group of armed gangsters for inciting looting and violence after several local shops in the area were robbed on Tuesday.
As a large contingent of cops and soldiers descended on Manenberg on Wednesday, rival skollies shouted at cops to search for the stolen goods in the Jesters’ territory, claiming they were behind the mass looting.
Despite earlier claims that the raids was sparked by hungry people amid the nationwide lockdown, community leaders say the incident was a “well-planned robbery” by skollies who roped in tikkoppe and parents desperate to feed their children.
The first store to be hit was Modack’s Superette, where owner Alamgirjaman Anayan says a group of 15 skollies stormed his winkel shortly after 3pm and held him at gunpoint.
CHAOS: Modack's robbed by 15 skollies
“They took my cellphones and stole stock worth between R15 000 and R20 000,” he says.
“The robbers took cash and then they called the community to come loot the shop.
“I am so disappointed they stole mostly coffee and luxuries like chocolates and left the pap and sugar behind.
“I have been here for 12 years and this is the first time I am scared to trade and thinking of leaving.”
CHAOS: Modack's robbed by 15 skollies
A 45-year-old man, who witnessed the robbery, says he nearly died trying to help staff as a heartless skollie opened fire on him.
“He had the gun pointed at my head and said: ‘ Jou ma se p***’. And he pulled the trigger. I moved and the bullet passed me.”
Community leader Moulana Sameeg Norodien says brazen skollies called tikkoppe to the scene to steal what they could from the shop before police arrived.
“It was madness, but this was thuggery and not looting by hungry people,” he says.
“You could also see some desperate parents who stole food. It was disgraceful.”
A cop source says the Jesters then made their way to a wholesaler where they loeped them vas, as the Americans and Hard Livings gangs had teamed up to stop them.
“I have never seen anything like that in my life. The Americans and the HLs stood vas and the Jesters had to run away.”
The mob then made their way to Big D Supermarket in Sherwood Park. Owner Mohammed Mokter says: “They tried to rip the gates off but luckily the police came and they ran away. Today we have put chains on the gates and don’t allow people inside the shop.”
Big D Supermarket in Sherwood Park. Picture: Monique Duval
The mob moved to Vistula Café where owner, Shoket Adams, says he came under attack by a group of more than 20 laaities.
“They slid under the gate and I was alone here,” he explains.
“They stole chocolates and other luxuries and even the blikkies of coins which are donations for organisations in the community.
“I lost stock worth R15 000. I have been here for 40 years and I am so hartseer to see how people stood and did not help.
“In this lockdown, I do everything I can to help the people. I sell my bread for only R7.50 and a whole tray of eggs for R15 because I know people are struggling.
“I support feeding schemes and soup kitchens to help the community and then they do this.”
ATTACKED: Vistula Café was targeted
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, says four people have been arrested - three for the Big D Supermarket incident and one at Vistula Café.
Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez says Sassa could have played a major role in curbing the looting.
“The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) remains the lead agency charged with social support to the poor in terms of the Social Assistance Act," Fernandez says.
“This legislative mandate covers food parcels and vouchers. The Sassa offices were closed on 30 March 2020 as part of the lockdown.
“While we understand that this was done to support the lockdown, we believe that this decision needs to be revisited.”