Looting of shops 'tip of the iceberg'

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Relating to the story...
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20090723002050265C548968

By Ntokozo Mfusi

The leader of a group of unemployed people said the looting that occurred in Shoprite and Pick n Pay stores in Durban was only the beginning, adding that more stores would be targeted.

Ninety four people, all members of the South African Unemployed People's Movement, were arrested on Wednesday after storming into the two supermarkets in Dr Pixley KaSeme Street in the city centre and helping themselves to food without paying.

The organisation's chairperson, Nozipho Mteshane, said until the government took them seriously they would carry on with their action.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg and I myself cannot stop the people because they are angry - we handed in a memorandum to the city a week ago and gave them seven days to respond and they have not," Mteshane said.

She said this was a message to the government that people were hungry and were struggling to make ends meet.

"We want the government to provide the unemployed people of this country with a R1 500 basic income grant."

Onlookers at Shoprite said the group was eating roasted chicken, chips and other goods inside the store and loading goods such as cooking oil, frozen chicken braai packs, vegetables and beverages inside trolleys.

Police spokesperson Captain Khephu Ndlovu said 44 people were arrested at Shoprite and 50 at Pick n Pay for illegal gathering and theft.

Sociologist Mary De Haas said these kinds of protests would escalate because people were unhappy as service delivery was slack.

"I am not surprised people are disgruntled, they have high expectations, but (the) government has promised a lot yet people are losing their jobs. This is a symptom of failure of the people elected to (the) government," she said.

City manager, Michael Sutcliffe, said this behaviour needed to be condemned in the strongest term.

"There seems to be political element in this - it's true they handed in a memorandum last week and we know there is a lot unemployment and poverty, but they are not the poorest of the poor, which is why we feel there are other elements involved. (The) government is looking into it and will deal with this accordingly."
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Quite frankly, after being burgled twice in 3 weeks I have NO time for any of these people.
If anything my own experience has hardened me even more to other people in dire straits that I do not personally know.
I also wonder how many of they unemployed are even South African citizens and if they are how legal is their ID.

Lock them all up and throw away they key . At least then they can get accomodation and food at the Taxpayers expense.
 
Yea supplying the unemployed with a 1.5k grant is about the worst idea i can think of.

Makes being unemployed seem worth it, some employed people who work an entire month do not even make that much.
 
"There seems to be political element in this - it's true they handed in a memorandum last week and we know there is a lot unemployment and poverty, but they are not the poorest of the poor, which is why we feel there are other elements involved. (The) government is looking into it and will deal with this accordingly."
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Yup, don't take the blame gov, it has to be some kind of plot... :rolleyes:
 
and these people will still vote ANC. You want change? You should have taken the opportunity in april.
 
fusk them all!!

typical black africa begging bowl mentality, eish we want, we take, work eish to much work, where do they get this self entitlement to everything?
 
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Moederloos said:
and these people will still vote ANC. You want change? You should have taken the opportunity in april.
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While I agree in principal, I don't think it would have made a differance as it would be too early in any other party's reign. Rather let the problems come home to roost as they are.
 
we had two guys from the street to do some unskilled labour for the day, when it got to 4pm they stopped work and demanded pay because they said they were tired and not used to working ( both 25 and 27 respectively and perfectly healthy). We gave the job to somebody's wife and the job was completed and returned the next day with no problems.
 
Well these people will vote for Malema so what can you expect, just glad this country is big so I can move far away from these maniacs.
 
I guess hungry people will go to extraordinary lengths to get food. Coupled with the greedy money-grabbing attitude of the supermarkets, I would say this event is a symptom of the times.
 
I know this doesnt really pertain to the article, but it deals with the upcoming municipal strikes coming, this is a piece from that article which worries me a bit:

An employee of the Randburg licensing department, Hope Msimang, 28, said she was joining the strike because she supported its aims.

She said she gets R7 000 a month and takes home R4 000 after tax and other deductions, and has to support a family of six on these earnings.
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If part of this family is NOT father or mother or grand parents then my sympathy for her has dropped a lot.

I have often heard when these salary issues come up, about people and how they are going to feed there families. Didnt people realize before hand about the costs of raising a family. I know many people with semi decent jobs who cant afford families. I know it sounds cruel but people must think sometimes.
 
Stephen said:
I know this doesnt really pertain to the article, but it deals with the upcoming municipal strikes coming, this is a piece from that article which worries me a bit:



If part of this family is NOT father or mother or grand parents then my sympathy for her has dropped a lot.

I have often heard when these salary issues come up, about people and how they are going to feed there families. Didnt people realize before hand about the costs of raising a family. I know many people with semi decent jobs who cant afford families. I know it sounds cruel but people must think sometimes.
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Agreed. There is no cure for stupidity and please don't anyone say it's about lack of education. Everyone knows where babies come from and how they're made, especially if you already have 5 you can't feed.

This is the reason why service delivery will NEVER EVER be up to scratch. The population growth is WAY too fast. These people pop baby after baby, when they can't even feed themselves or their 4 stray dogs. :mad:
 
I wonder if you pay membership fees to belong to the South African Unemployed People's Movement :D
 
http://www.news24.com/Content/South...-07-2009 04-07/Looters_case_in_court_basement


"We were not stealing. We were just demonstrating. Taking food from the shops was a way of showing government that unemployed people are hungry. We stormed shops after other attempts of appealing for assistance failed."

She said they had written many letters to the government and also submitted memorandums asking for basic income grants for unemployed people.

Mteshane claimed her organisation represented "millions" of unemployed South Africans. She vowed to continue organising similar protests, saying the state could not afford to keep all members of her organisation in jails.

"We will make sure that the Soccer World Cup is spoiled if our demands are not met.
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We were not stealing, just demonstrating ??! We didn't steal because we ate chicken and chips in the shop ?

I think I'm going to demonstrate a nice HD TV.
 
"We will make sure that the Soccer World Cup is spoiled if our demands are not met.
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You absolute morons...:rolleyes: The lack of foresight here is astounding. You deserve to remain unemployed if you really are that thick!

As for the "we were not stealing" part - well that just further goes to prove that these people should be shot to clean up the gene pool ffs. It's not a case of circumstances - it is a case of sheer stupidity on the protesters' part.

I really wonder what promises were made to ANC voters leading up to the election which has resulted in so much civil unrest, striking and "demonstration"...
 
Sackboy said:
I guess hungry people will go to extraordinary lengths to get food. Coupled with the greedy money-grabbing attitude of the supermarkets, I would say this event is a symptom of the times.
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Useless, grabbing oxygen thieves. They should be shot, for looting. This is the mentality and quality of scum that are running the country.
 
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