Johannesburg - A baby was killed in Kagiso on the West Rand when it was trampled by a mob of stampeding looters, national police said on Saturday.
“A 13-month old baby died during a looter's raid stampede at Kagiso yesterday (Friday) afternoon,” said Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale.
Looters who were robbing a spaza shop allegedly scattered when police arrived, he said.
The mob ran into a young mother who was carrying the baby.
“In that commotion the baby fell and was trampled by the fleeing mob.”
The baby was certified dead on the scene by paramedics.
A case of murder had been opened.
Twenty-four people were arrested in Kagiso on Friday night following violence and looting of foreign owned shops.
Looting of foreign-owned shops in Soweto began on Monday when a Somalian man allegedly shot dead a 14-year-old boy accused of being part of a group trying to break into his store.
Gauteng police commissioner Lt-General Lesetja Mothiba said the looting had since spread to Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, and Kagiso.
Sibiya said a 61-year-old bystander died when a foreigner fired at a crowd stoning his shop in Swaneville on Thursday night.
The man was shot in the chest and died on arrival at hospital.
No arrests had been made and a murder case had been opened.
Also on Thursday, in Tshepisong, a man was wounded while allegedly trying to break into a spaza shop belonging to a foreigner. -
Sapa