SOUTH AFRICA: Govt to destroy recovered looted goods

By: Ollus Ndomu

The South African government disclosed Thursday, that it will destroy all recovered looted goods after them using as evidence in criminal cases.

Speaking during a press briefing earlier today, acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said police authorities were conducting home searches in effort to recover the looted items during the Zuma insurrection.

“If the goods circulate in the market, they diminish the value of other goods. We cannot afford to collapse the economy by allowing stolen goods to circulate,” Ms Ntshavheni said.

Over 200 shopping centres were looted during last week’s unrest that ensued following the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma to 15 months.

The jailing of Zuma earlier this month for contempt of court sparked violent protests provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal that left more than 200 people killed, including looting of shopping centres and torching of foreign businesses.