How Africa News
Authorities in South Africa have launched an operation to recover looted goods following days of chaos in the country last week.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Monday the operation was bearing fruits as some of the stolen goods had been found in residences, including electronics and furniture.
Parts of South Africa descended into chaos last week following the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma.
The 79-year-old handed himself to authorities on July 8 to begin a 15-month sentence. He was sentenced for contempt of court, after failing to attend an inquiry into corruption during his presidency.
The jailing sparked violent protests and a looting spree in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng Provinces as police struggled to contain the rowdy rioters.
The death toll surrounding riots and unrest in the country reached 212 on Friday, with reports indicating that an estimated $1 billion worth of goods had been looted from KwaZulu-Natal, a municipality that includes the city of Durban.
In a series of social media posts, SAPS published pictures of some of the recovered items, including mattresses, television sets, couches, fridges, sound systems, computer screens and laptops.
#sapsGP Police moved swiftly from street to street in Extension 3 , Zones 3,4 and 6 following information about the suspicious stolen property. The information resulted in the recovery of various items and the subsequent arrest. #RejectAndReportStolenGoods #DontBuyStolenGoods TM pic.twitter.com/q4jfxDtkSt
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) July 19, 2021
The force warned people against purchasing any of the looted goods, saying doing so would amount to crime.
It also urged people to cooperate with authorities in the search and recovery of the looted items.
More than 3,000 people have been arrested on various charges since the chaos erupted more than a week ago.
The suspects are expected to be arraigned in court starting this week.
