Durban in shutdown today

[Blurock]

AS the Zulu king said, " This is a shame on the Zulu nation", or at least the faction that support the Zumas. This, as far as I am concerned, was an attempt to destabilise the state and its structures, It was a blatant attack on capitalism and our economy. Was this instigated by the RET (rapid economic transformation) advocates? Why were the people who appeared on stage in Nkandla, instigating violence not arrested? Why were the Safety and Security cluster fast asleep and not act in time?

I must stress that I know many Zulu people, workers and friends who would never involve themselves in atrocities like this. Unfortunately, there are people who allow themselves to be fed $#!t by politicians who are not interested in the poor and jobless, but only in their own selfish motives.

[Blurock]

Hi all

I'm from the US. I've been following what's happening in South Africa for a while. I'm something of an inventor and I wanted to let you know of an idea I had. I worked in mining and we would blow off equipment with a high pressure air hose. The material we processed was very fine. With no wind the material blown off equipment would spread out and fill the entire valley we were in. I know it's hard to get ammunition right now but if you can find a working portable air compressor (maybe even a leaf blower could do it not sure) and some fine material such as chalk powder I think you can blind a large mob. The dust can also act as a carrier for other things as well such as powdered hot peppers. It should discourage any crowd.

I think this is a marvellous idea and should be pursued by security and police. It is very difficult to control a crowd that acts like mad dogs. Shooting does not always help as violence begets violence, but measures to stop and contain a mad crowd must be pursued.

Some security guys in our area disabled looters by puncturing (shooting) the tyres of their vehicles so that they could not get away with their loot.
The vehicles are still standing there with 4 flats and I suspect the guys who managed to flee on foot will be visited by the SAPS soon.

[Dave A]

So now I am looking for signs that I might be able to resume business.

The number one hurdle for now would seem to be fuel supplies. Being in the service industry and with a fair sized fleet we go through a lot of it when we are running.
Then there is the issue of clients that are open to us coming.
Another hurdle will be the community policing blockades. I should think we will be able to navigate that one, but it certainly is going to add to travelling times as minimum.

[adrianh]

Look at how they robbed a bike shop in Pinetown.

https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/news/p...2-42aacd7438ef

It is terrible how these people simply have no regard. That said - The BLM movement in the US also just turned into a free-for-all. I wonder how the leap goes from "Free our leader" to "Lets steal and break everything in sight"
What is the psychology - is it simply: "Mob rule - There are many of us so we take out chances"

I see that protests in France against vaccine passports went the same way last night - How do you go from "I don't want to carry a vaccine passport" to "lets burn a lonely JCB for no reason"

[adrianh]

Watch this video of a looter trying to shove a flatscreen TV in his car.

The logic is mind boggling.

Please note that the video has a loooooooooot of joking swearing - NSFW - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FLLXfM-hjTI

[tec0]

Watch this video of a looter trying to shove a flatscreen TV in his car.

The logic is mind boggling.

Please note that the video has a loooooooooot of joking swearing - NSFW - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FLLXfM-hjTI

Why toys like this is so very important.

[adrianh]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8253[/ATTACH]

Why toys like this is so very important.

I was waiting for him to fold it double!

[adrianh]

So they even caught a CEO of a financial services company looting....There is clearly no hope for this country!

https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afr...d-33ed61a7377c

[Blurock]

So they even caught a CEO of a financial services company looting....There is clearly no hope for this country!

https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afr...d-33ed61a7377c

These people just have no shame. I quote Ted Herbst who says in their minds

it is permissible or even admirable to steal from or destroy the establishment, be it business in the local mall or employers or institutions (they sacked the blood bank) has had its expression in what is happening. Looting is not seen as bad, at worst a bit ‘naughty’, but forgivable and understandable and permissible. The idea that ‘we’re perpetually oppressed, we should be allowed to loot’ is firmly established in the psyche of ANC and EFF members, no matter what their economic circumstances.

How do you change this mindset that was started by Oliver Tambo and Thabo Mbeki in their Radio Freedom broadcasts decades ago, in which ANC followers were urged to make South Africa ungovernable and to stop paying for government services received. This set in motion the Ain't No Consequences party's path of corruption and destruction that has bought this wonderful country to its knees.

The next event was Mandela's failure to to sanction Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma over the Sarafina II scam. That set in motion the orgy of looting and state capture which we are all aware of. The weapons scandal, Nkandla, Escom, SABC, too many to name all.

[adrianh]

I just don't get the logic for an established wealthy person to steal low value items. I get big money white collar crime but there must be something fundamentally wrong for such a person to partake in opportunist blue collar crime.

It is said that a thief will steal whether he is in need or not - it is as if it is an uncontrollable OCD drive! The problem of course in this country is that it seems to be in the blood of a lot of people.

[Dave A]

So we resumed work operations today.
All staff in - no problems there.
It sounds like anything along the food line in the townships have been looted and as minimum, severely damaged.
This destruction of shops in the townships means food is a problem in those areas.

My wife and I have brought in food for our staff to take home at the end of today.
But it seems food supply in many of the townships is going to be a problem for some time to come.

Last week some people were so hungry they could steal a big screen TV.
Coming soon there is going to be a more real hunger - which might not be as readily satisfied.

This is a long way from over.

[ians]

Dave ... whats the deal with wages for last week ... I see some people have chosen to pay 2.5 days and unpaid leave for the other 2.5 days ?

[adrianh]

I also saw a news item where the gangs that normally strong-arm the Spaza shops for protection money in one area got together with the locals and the police to protect the shops from the looters.

Seems the gangs are starting to learn the importance of protecting their long term investments :-)

[Blurock]

I just don't get the logic for an established wealthy person to steal low value items. I get big money white collar crime but there must be something fundamentally wrong for such a person to partake in opportunist blue collar crime.

It is said that a thief will steal whether he is in need or not - it is as if it is an uncontrollable OCD drive! The problem of course in this country is that it seems to be in the blood of a lot of people.

This has a lot to do with the irresponsible utterances of their leaders shouting slogans such as white privilege, white economic monopoly, rapid economic transformation etc. They have not learnt from the rest of Africa that those very people who are instigating violent change are the ones who will drive away to their mansions in Mercs and Bentleys while the cannon fodder still stay in shacks. If you don't believe me, go and visit any other African state, Zimbabwe is the closest and easy to reach. Or, just talk to the Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa and hear their stories (and warnings about what not to do).

[adrianh]

I spoke with a friend over the weekend. He part owns a company that manufactures bathroom fitting here in Cape Town. He said that they had sent a shipment to Durban via a transport company (DSV) and the company's warehouse was burnt down during the riots. He said that the company can't tell him whether the shipment was lost, stolen or destroyed.

He said that they are not going to lodge a claim with the insurance for the loss due to the fact that they had already claimed on numerous occasions for burglary and theft. The buggers got in through he roof a couple of times and stole all the brass, the computers, the copper pipes and they even ripped the electrical wire out the conduits. He also told me how the staff would cut up new brass rods into short pieces and remove the pieces every day in their bags. The staff steal absolutely everything they can lay their hands on.

To top it all his house has been burgled on 3 occasions and every time they cleared out whatever there was. I hadn't visited them in over a year and their house now looks like a prison - cameras, movement sensors, very heavy outer security doors and fences, electric fencing and they have 4 security gates inside the house. The guy is 60, his wife if 55 and their daughter is 22 living in a middle class suburb in Cape Town (Monte Vista)

Although they have lived most thier lives in South Africa they all have British passports. The daughter leaves for the UK 1st thing next year and the other will follow as soon as the business is wound up.

The important thing to note is that they have been burgled and robbed, that their staff have stolen from them BEFORE COVID. They did their level best to keep their staff working and paid during COVID. I think the looting and loss of production, once again perpetrated by the mindless masses has put the final nail in the coffin of a once thriving South African business employing South Africans in the service of South Africans.

The only thing I can say about this is this: South Africa is like a dog chewing its own legs off....Well done - I hope you are proud of yourselves.