The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been deployed to parts of KwaZulu-Natal following a fresh wave of looting and anti-immigration protests that left foreign-owned businesses in ruins and heightened fears of renewed xenophobic violence.
Among the hardest hit was a major supermarket in KwaDabeka, a vital source of food and household supplies for hundreds of residents, which was ransacked and severely damaged by looters despite the presence of security personnel and law enforcement officers.
Speaking after the attack, the supermarket owner, Abdul, revealed that the business had suffered a similar fate during the violent unrest that swept through South Africa in July 2021, describing the latest destruction as another devastating blow.
“No, it’s not the first time. It happened in 2021. There’s other looting from the first unrest, so this is the second time,” he said.
Abdul disclosed that the financial losses had already climbed into millions of rand, with criminals breaking into the premises and carting away valuables, including a safe located near an ATM machine.
“And the amount of damage is over millions,” he lamented.
“As you can see, it was the biggest store, like the general store.
“They did break in and already took out the safe which was inside by the ATM, as you can see.
“And there’s another safe by the office which they already made big damage.”
The businessman admitted that the future of the enterprise now hangs in the balance, saying he could not immediately determine whether the supermarket would recover from yet another attack.
“Really, I don’t know for now. There’s nothing which I can say we are going to do from now, but we will see,” Abdul said.
Journalists at the scene reported that workers desperately attempted to secure the shattered building after the violence, while troops and police officers struggled to contain the chaos as events spiralled beyond their control.
The unrest reportedly affected three establishments, including two businesses and a dental clinic, leaving a trail of destruction across the community.
Observers described the devastation at the supermarket as particularly heartbreaking, noting that it served as an essential lifeline for hundreds of families in Clermont and surrounding communities who depended on it for daily necessities.
“As it stands now, three shops were hit, two businesses including a dentist,” a reporter at the scene said.
“I think what is a very sad part of this particular story is the fact that this is the only supermarket that serves hundreds of people here in KwaDabeka.
“He was also saying that this is not the only shop that was hit. There were several other businesses in the area.
“But this particular SaveMore really is a lifeline for so many people that reside here in Clermont.”
Abdul said assessments were still ongoing but maintained that the destruction had already run into millions of rand, raising fresh concerns about the safety of foreign-owned businesses amid growing anti-immigration tensions in parts of South Africa.