11 suspects detained after looting of foreign-owned shops in Soweto

Eleven people were arrested and some stolen goods recovered in the aftermath of a looting spree targeting foreign-owned shops in Soweto.

“To this end, 11 suspects have been arrested while police recovered one unlicensed firearm and goods believed to have been stolen during the looting,” said police spokesperson Capt Kay Makhubele.

Makhubele said police were on high alert after residents started looting in several townships including Dobsonville, Meadowlands, Rockville, Naledi, Zola, Emdeni and other parts of Soweto on Wednesday evening.

It remains unclear what prompted the attacks but the looting was condemned by various organisations.

Provincial police warned residents not to engage in criminal activities as a form of protest because they would be identified and arrested.

The 11 suspects were expected to appear in the Protea magistrate's court soon.

In Diepkloof, which was not affected, foreigners who owned shops decided to leave the area as a precaution, according to Makhubele. 

“The situation is calm but owners at Diepkloof are moving their stock and leaving the area. They are being escorted by police,” he said.

In a separate incident, during an integrated operation on Thursday, the Soweto Flying Squad, Tracker and metro police arrested a person in possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.

The suspect was chased from Dobsonville to Meadowlands, where the driver lost control of the car and crashed into a house.