It was hailing brew in Kuruman, Northern Cape, on Wednesday, after an overturned truck lost its load to a crowd of looters.
Watch: Kuruman looters make off with packs of beer
The wet weather was no deterrent to the large group of onlookers who saw an opportunity to quench their thirst with free booze. Especially, after the South African government had kept the country under a brutal collective cold turkey with the alcohol ban.
Sure, the latter has been lifted but a freebie is just that, a freebie. The added incentive to this score is that it was beer, a much loved alcoholic beverage in South Africa.
The video clip showing the Kuruman looters dashing off with carry packs of beer has since gone viral on social media. You can watch it below:
So the Lord decided to bless the citezen of Kuruman
— D O D O 12 AUG (@PrinceDodo_1) February 4, 2021
Yday… pic.twitter.com/dtGCTnCnRJ
Is looting a crime in South Africa?
While some humour can be found in this harmless kind of looting, the act of taking something you didn’t pay for is still considered an act of crime in South Africa, and generally most parts of the world.
For instance, in the United States, a looter can get nabbed for petty theft, larceny, grand theft, burglary, or another similar crime, according to law firm HG.org.
It is, however, rare to find instances where a looter is charged and prosecuted for taking something he or she didn’t purchase.
“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.
Unfortunately for the liquor retailer whose stock has ended up in the hands of freeloaders, it’s a financial loss that must be written off and nothing else can be done about it.