“This Is Wrong”: SA Reacts to TikTok Clip of Men Looting Shop During Anti-Immigration Protest
A TikTok video posted by NewsNexusOfficial on 25 May 2026 has left South Africans angry and divided. It shows men looting a township shop believed to belong to a foreign national in Bloemfontein.
Source: TikTok
The footage surfaced as a planned shutdown by the National Service Delivery Forum turned into widespread chaos across Mangaung.
The NSDF organised the shutdown to protest poor service delivery, unemployment, and concerns around undocumented foreign nationals. What began as a planned protest quickly spiralled out of control. Gang members and residents began targeting foreign-owned spaza shops across the city.
Looting broke out overnight from Sunday into Monday morning. It spread across multiple Bloemfontein neighbourhoods, leaving a trail of damaged and emptied businesses. More than 140 people were arrested for public violence and looting.
Mzansi wasn’t having it
Social media erupted after the video made the rounds online. Many South Africans condemned the looting, calling it criminal and shameful. Comments flooded the post with people saying this crossed a line.
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According to reports, NSDF leader Potso Motoko distanced the forum from the violence. He said the shutdown was about government failure, not about attacking foreign nationals. Reports suggest that police also confirmed the looting was criminal activity and not directly tied to the protest.
Shop owners had fled for their safety as the unrest took over. Several businesses in the Bloemfontein CBD remained shuttered on Monday. Roads were blocked, and the city came to a near standstill.
Watch the looting below:
More articles involving protests
- A video posted on social media captured some of the chaos that unfolded as a result of frustrated, reportedly unemployed residents.
- Phakelumthakathi led a march from Empangeni Station, allegedly against illegal immigration in the town.
- South Africans took to the streets of Pretoria's Sunnyside in an anti-illegal immigration protest.
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Source: Briefly News
