In a gallish display, a large group of looters were seen making off with heaps of parcels and disrupting traffic in Honeydew, Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
Watch: Honeydew looters grab-and-dash in front of SAPS
Even more concerning, perhaps, is the fact that the truck was looted across the road from a SAPS police station. As a matter of fact, the person filming the looting, it’s believed, was looking on from the window of the police precinct.
LOOTING OF TRUCK CARGO : OPPOSITE HONEYDEW SAPS. COJ. GP.@SAPoliceService @GTP_Traffstats @TrafficRTMC @_ArriveAlive @JoburgMPD @TMPDSafety @cci_network pic.twitter.com/PYjSmVtSdV
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) March 17, 2021
At this time, the contents that were stolen from the truck are unknown. However, from closely observing the video footage, it appears that this was a cold storage freight truck that was carrying food parcels.
Without a single police officer in sight, people popped up from all corners of Honeydew to grab whatever they could and dash, a common act we have witnessed on multiple occasions in South Africa.
A fact: Looting is a crime you can get away with in South Afrca
The rate at which looting takes place in South Africa, it isn’t farfetched to suggest that many believe the act is legal. Contrary to this, however, looting is viewed in the same vein as stealing or shoplifting in South Africa’s criminal law.
If caught and charged, looters could spend at least three years behind bars or escape with a fine. In most cases, however, courts hardly ever register looting cases on the docket.
According to law firm HG.org, police have greater battles to prepare for, then chasing after scores of people who — as in this instance — happened to be at the right place, at the right time.
“A looter can only be charged with a crime if he or she is caught. Since police forces are often busy dealing with the fall out of the natural disaster or other event that allowed for the looting, there is a strong possibility that looters may never be identified or caught,” the law firm writes.