COPS have condemned incidents of looting, violence and general lawlessness which left three people dead, one injured and 27 arrested in some parts of Soweto.
This follows violent clashes which erupted on Wednesday where residents took to the streets in protest that turned violent and led to the looting of foreign nationals’ shops.
During the violent attacks and the looting, three people were killed in White City, there is also another person in hospital being treated for a gunshot wound.
Now The Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Lebeoana Jacob Tsumane, has commended the swift response by the police in Gauteng in trying to stabilise the situation and to prevent more attacks.
PHOTO GALLERY: SOWETO LOOTING!
By increasing deployments in the affected areas, 27 suspects were arrested for various crimes including murder, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and public violence. Two unlicensed firearms were also seized and more arrests are expected.
“Taking the law into your own hands is tantamount anarchy and as the police we will not stand by and let lawlessness to reign.
"I am calling on the community leaders and the community at large to reclaim their streets by partnering with the police in the fight against any criminality,” said Tsumane.
Meanwhile MEC for Economic Development Environment Agriculture and Rural Development Lebogang Maile raised his concern on the violent lootings.
“As the Gauteng Provincial Government we are calling for calm and we are appealing to the communities of the affected areas to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law”, he said.
Maile has called in police to investigate the circumstances that led to the death and expressed his condolences to the deceased’s family.