South Africa: 72 Dead – Baby Thrown from Burning Mall as Food and Gas Run Out

 

Photo credit: BBC

At least 72 people have been killed and 1,234 arrested in rioting and looting in South Africa, which started on the weekend in KwaZulu-Natal province and spread to Johannesburg.

Shocking video from a burning mall in Durban showed a woman throwing a baby to safety from the second floor to the ground below, where it was caught by a helpful crowd of onlookers. The child was unhurt, as BBC reported.

Opposition leaders questioned the government response, which had called up 70.000 soldiers to enforce COVID lockdowns, but only 2.500 largely ineffective troops to fight the largest insurrection in South Africa since the end of Apartheid 1994. Videos showed police letting looters escape or participating in looting themselves.

Looting is currently in progress along the South Coastal Road south of Durban. Rioters are now apparently attacking people in their homes. Speaking from Durban suburb Palmview/Woodview, an unidentified woman issued a call for help moments ago, “The guys are going into the houses and shooting right now. The Mayor said take down the barriers, and now they are coming into our homes. Please pray that it will stop and that our family and everybody will be safe! My husband is gone now, please pray for us, in Jesus’ name!”

Radical leftist anti-white leader Julius Malema was suspended from Twitter for stoking ethnic hatred. The ANC government identified former President  Jacob Zuma’s former head of State Security Agency’s (SSA) special operations unit, Thulani Dlomo, as having stoked the uprising. Police Minister Bheki Cele said police were investigating “12 instigators” of the current unrest and looting in South Africa, possibly including members of Zuma’s family.

Zuma’s son Duduzane asked supporters on Twitter to “loot responsibly”:

On Twitter, Zuma supporters called for the current president Cyril Ramaphosa to step down under #RamaphosaMustFall, while supporters rallied under #ZumaCoupAttempt. South Africa was on the brink of civil war if riots are not quelled effectively soon, The Citizen warned.

AfriForum security spokesman Ian Cameron warned of the potential for increasing attacks on farms as civil militias increasingly move to protect urban areas. Residents were forming checkpoints and only letting residents in.

Looting is currently in progress along the South Coastal Road south of Durban.

Indian residents organized in Durban to defend their communities.

The situation in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province is becoming dire as stores are closed or empty, and gas is running out. One KZN farmer was forced to dump 28 000 litres of milk a day amid riots.

A witness wrote: “National warehouse situated in KwaZulu-Natal, the biggest food distribution centre in Africa and South Africa, is being looted to the bone by thousands of looters. This is the central nerve centre for bulk food distribution in KZN supplying Shoprite, Checkers, Woolworths, SPAR and Game. This means not only retail but even the bulk supply food channels are being destroyed in KZN. There will be starvation and famine in KZN as early as next week. Shops that are open are running out of stock, due to panic buying. They cannot be restocked. This is going to be the biggest food crisis in Africa since the Ethiopian Famine since 1984. There is no bread, meat, milk, petrol and other essential supplies in most parts of Durban. KZN is literally burning to the ground. Wealthy families are evacuating KZN while they can heading to safer provinces. No police or military in sight. Where police are present they watch the looters without lifting a finger.”

The South African Petroleum Refinery service announced it was temporarily closing due to the unrest. Rioters were seen looting gas stations at considerable risk.

“We are running out of fuel here because the refineries shut down”, farm attack survivor Mariandra Heunis told from Gauteng Province. “People are panic buying here so stores are running empty. It’s a mess. In KwaZulu-Natal, it’s horrific. People are asking for help with food. There are no shops left. The ones that are left have no stock.”

FOR INSPIRATION: Residents of North Durban posted a video manning a checkpoint to the tune of “Scotland the Brave” on bagpipes:

Afrikaner leaders announced they would be meeting to form a unified council and organize the defense of Boer communities in coming weeks. General Izak van Zyl of the Boerelegioenen militia advised commuities under attack to issue a strong deterrent and “shoot to kill” if roving mobs attack.

Most mainstream media in the US have been ignoring the potential collapse of the model “Rainbow Nation”. Tucker Carlson has been one of the few US journalists to cover the mayhem in South Africa, calling it “a bold warning for the US”: