Zola Hashatsi, Busiswa join SA to slam the burning of looted groceries

Actor Zola Hashatsi and musician Busiswa have voiced their concerns about police allegedly burning recovered groceries after the recent mass looting.  

Police have been on a mission to recover stolen goods after the looting in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng last month.

However, Mzansi is not impressed with their choice to burn groceries. 

Taking to Instagram, Zola penned his dismay in a lengthy post.  

“This is extremely disturbing. Government sends soldiers to collect food from the poor and spend R600m in the process. Then burn the food in the midst of poverty and hunger among the people? Government says, ‘we understand  our people are hungry and unemployed thus we will give them R350 to buy food’. But this is the very same government which is burning food.

“I don't know what government should have done with the food after collecting it but I am disturbed by burning it. Maybe they should have collected electric appliances and other stuff that is not food and left the food. Other stuff, like fridges, TV sets, microwaves, car tyres, beds, couches and so on could be auctioned.” 

Read the full post below:

Busiswa reacted to the news, saying “May history never forget”, and singer Thandiswa Mazwai said she felt burning food was “unAfrican”.

In July, TimesLIVE reported that scores online were up in arms about government’s decision to destroy recovered looted goods.

After the dust of the unrest settled, police used tip-offs from community members in both provinces to recover suspected stolen goods.

According to acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, stolen goods were being destroyed because they are no different from fake products.

“Our people do not understand the things that affect the economy. The stolen goods are no different from counterfeit products and that is why we destroy them,” she explained.

“If the goods are stolen, it means the manufacturers of those goods are not going to generate an income from them that enables them to pay employees and continue with their businesses.”

According to EWN, the goods confiscated from looters by police and other law enforcement officials will likely be destroyed.

The publication reported that several stores confirmed they have no use for looted goods and police policy will dictate they should be dumped.

Meanwhile there is a threat of a second wave of civil unrest.

TimesLIVE has seen a document which has been circulating on social media detailing a plan for a second wave of mass destruction in which the organisers plan to burn trucks and close freeways.