Turmoil has engulfed Tsakane after community members targeted foreign-owned spaza shops in a wave of riots stemming from the tragic death of a Grade 1 pupil at Mandlethu Primary School.
Watch: Tsakane rioters loot foreign-owned spaza shop
PLEASE NOTE: The third-party content below is shared on our platform for journalistic purposes. Swisher Post, its parent company, partners and affiliates shall not be held liable for any consequence that arises from the journalistic duties performed in sharing this content.
The young learner’s demise, allegedly after consuming biscuits from a local spaza shop, sparked an intense reaction, exacerbating longstanding tensions over the safety and regulation of goods sold in informal establishments operated by foreign nationals.
The community’s grief rapidly turned to anger, leading to violent clashes caught on camera by eNCA reporters.
A spaza shopowner, fortunate he was not targeted in the Tsakane riots, watched on helplessly as looters raided his outlet, destroying his entire inventory.
It’s believed this was the store that sold the Grade 1 pupil the biscuits linked to her sudden death.
According to the Gauteng Education Department, the learner started vomiting shortly before break time, and despite immediate efforts to provide medical assistance, she was pronounced dead by paramedics upon their arrival.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the pupil’s death are still ongoing. The MEC confirmed trauma counselling services would be deployed to the primary school, on Wednesday.
In Tsakane, public order police have been deployed to de-escalate riots and ensure the safety of foreign nationals. Thus far, no reports of casualties or injuries have been reported.
Authorities have also yet to make a formal arrest, suggesting speculation is still rife on the Grade 1 pupil’s cause of death.
This is a developing story.