Johannesburg - Two people have been arrested for stealing goods from a foreign-owned shop in Thembelihle, Lenasia, on Monday, Gauteng police said.
During what appeared to be a service delivery protest, some residents barricaded roads, while others went to loot foreign-owned shops, Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said.
“We have arrested two people who were caught in the act. They took a lot of things from the shops. They unfortunately fled the scene.”
Police had been monitoring the area from around 3am. No injuries had been reported and no property had been damaged, he said.
The two arrested would face charges of possession of stolen property.
Johannesburg metro police said earlier that residents barricaded the K43 road in the area with burning tyres. The road was closed between Volta Street and Nirvana Drive as protesters threw stones at passing cars, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said.
By 4pm the streets had been cleared and traffic was moving again.
Earlier, Makhubela said police used teargas to disperse the protesters.
Sapa