Cops vow to hunt for looters after Cape liquor stores raided

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Cape Town - Police management has vowed to hunt down those behind the burglaries at three liquor stores in Cape Town, where they stole liquor in large quantities. Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said two suspects have been arrested for burglary and theft after a Shoprite liquor store was burgled and looted in Langa township on Sunday. A woman, 33, from Gugulethu, believed to be linked to the crime was arrested, as was a man, 48, she said. Both suspects were due in court soon on charges of burglary and theft. “A yet-to-be identified number of suspects broke into the Langa liquor store. In recorded videos, locals are seen looting liquor. Another liquor store in the Nyanga terminus was broken into on Sunday evening,” Potelwa said. In a third incident in Brackenfell, armed robbers threatened liquor store security guards, broke into the premises and stole liquor in large quantities in the early hours of Monday.

Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in SA (Saapa SA) director Maurice Smithers said they have noted the recent looting of liquor outlets.

Smithers said there was a report of a similar incident in Strand in the first week of the lockdown. “It is important to note that four such incidents across South Africa over a period of 10 days is statistically insignificant and should not be construed as a necessary sign of things to come. Amid difficult times it is to be expected that there will be incidents of this kind, not just at liquor stores, but at businesses selling food and other products as well.”

Smithers encouraged the authorities to take steps, in conjunction with businesses owners, to prevent robbing and looting. “At the same time, we urge government and the private sector to do whatever is possible to ensure that people living in precarious circumstances have access to food. If not, desperation may lead them to seek resources wherever they can.

“SAAPA SA is concerned that people and organisations already calling for the restrictions on liquor to be lifted will use these isolated incidents to support their arguments.”

He believed that scrapping the liquor restrictions would be a big mistake.

Reagen Allen, MPL and DA Western Cape community safety spokesperson, noted that liquor normally causes around 172 deaths a day in the country arising from assault, car crashes, and non-communicable diseases.

That figure would be dramatically reduced, partly because of the lockdown generally and because of the restrictions on liquor, he said.

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