Pietermaritzburg's Brookside Mall Set Alight, Allegedly by Zuma Supporters

Monday, July 12, 2021 at 12:14 PM by Reeshni Chetty

KwaZulu-Natal is facing the brunt of various protests in support of former president Jacob Zuma who was recently arrested
A mall in Pietermaritzburg was allegedly set alight by supporters who have been protesting since Zuma's arrest
It is currently unclear if the fire started on its own but looters were spotted leaving the premises with goods in trolleys

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Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal is one of many areas facing violent protests. On Monday, 12 July, it was reported that the Brookside Mall was set alight; allegedly by supporters of former president Jacob Zuma.

The supporters have reportedly been looting and eyewitnesses stated that they saw people running away from the building with various items. Videos have also been shared on social media of protesters with stolen goods on the back of vans or in trolleys.

Videos on social media show looters running away from the mall with goods

@DakshaGm said:

"I’m thinking that jobs will be lost now and for what? This is the work of demons."

@dr_dotz stated:

"My heart sinks for the jobs lost."

@QholoshaNana added:

"The sad part is families/breadwinners of the same people who are looting are the ones who work in these places. And tomorrow when the whole family is unemployed it's another problem. We are never gonna solve anything with this kind of mentality..."

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eThekwini shuts services down in order to protect employees, citizens and assets

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the eThekwini Municipality informed the public that there has been a suspension of bus services in the area on Monday, 12 July. This is a result of the protest action which started in KZN and made its way across the country.