Thousands of businesses owned by members of the Indian community have been looted and destroyed and a number of Indians who are unknown have been killed in riots that have hit Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa.
The riots began last Friday at KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), two days after former President Jacob Zuma was imprisoned for the insults of the court.
Durban, where one million Heritage-Heritage South Africa lives, has witnessed widespread riots with shops, businesses, and warehouses looted and set.
More than 50,000 businesses have been destroyed or influenced in Durban, where many retail and technology businesses, motor dealers, medical centers, pharmacies and supermarkets are run by the Indian community.
Zanele Khomo, Chief Growth Officer at the Durban Chillber of Commerce, said: “In Durban, we have 16 billion Rand (South African currency) worth stolen shares and damage to malls and retailers.
More than a third of this is an Indian business.
About 50,000 Informal traders are outside business and 129,000 jobs at risk …
“.
It was on Saturday when Indian businessman Rohit (name changed), who runs a retail technology business chain throughout KwaZulu-Natal, got a telephone call about one of the shops that had been targeted by looters.
Then on Sundays and Mondays, four other stores have been looted.
He has suffered a loss of $ 2 million so far.
“They stormed and led to thousands.
Security can’t stop them.
People steal fridge and stove, high-end TV sets and food ingredients.
You can see blood on the whole floor from where people are shot dead …
Everything happens during the extensive day and the police do nothing, “Rohit said.
Phoenix, where more than 100,000 indian descent lives and where Mahatma Gandhi establishes His ashram, has seen looting beyond racial violence between Indians and blacks.
Dozens of deaths occurred in the street fight as alert to Indian descent has armed themselves to defend their homes and stores from looters.
“Many Indians die in the fire line protecting their homes and businesses,” said Rohit.
“Black people are also killed.
It is terrible for public relations.
The army is in Kzn now and we hope everything will stabilize quickly,” he said.
But Durban Resident Pralini Naidoo is optimistic.
“We are all in this chaos and navigate as well as possible.
The community cross the racing group worked together.
There are many hearts and communities here,” he said.