Durban - It’s been a year since people in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng were brought to their knees following the eruption of violent protests and looting that ran into billions of rands of damages.
South Africans will never forget seeing big businesses burnt to the ground, people looting fridges and clothing items and the absolute chaos that engulfed the province for almost a week. Many were unsure where they would get food or daily necessities, like milk and bread. Communities huddled together to protect their homes. The news even made international headlines.
However, a year on, many businesses have dusted themselves off and rebuilt from the ground. At the time, major retailer Massmart, which owns Cambridge and Makro outlets, said 41 stores had been looted, including 18 Cambridge stores, 10 Game stores, eight Builders stores, three Cash & Carry and two Makro stores, while others have closed permanently.
We look at some businesses or items that were destroyed in the looting and how far they have come.
1. Springfield Value Centre
The centre, which had a high number of high-end fashion stores, suffered insurmountable loss. Pictures of strewn Nike takkies boxes across the parking lots were some of the pictures that made headlines, with police trying to stop people from looting.
Speaking to IOL this week, Donald Mclellan, National Marketing Manager of Broll Property Group, said the unrest of July 2021 resulted in most of Springfield Value Centre having to be demolished and rebuilt.
“The damage at the centre was extensive, and the project team is working tirelessly to have the centre re-opened as soon as possible. As it currently stands, the expected re-opening date is anticipated to be early October this year,” said Mclellan.
Mclellan said many of their customers have been reaching out to them via social media to find out exactly when the centre will be re-opening.“Whilst Pick ‘n Pay and Wimpy are currently trading during the construction, we confirm the old favourites are returning with improved offerings, and some new exciting additions to the tenant mix will be introduced”, added.
Sharmaine Ramsahai, Springfield value centre Manager, said they also had a waiting list of stores that they would now be able to accommodate. “Through a strong tenant mix of internationally branded outlet stores, the centre had a waiting list of stores that we have now been able to accommodate.
“This was achieved by enhancing the tenant mix, store sizes and location so that shoppers are now able to enjoy comparative shopping with similar stores located in closer proximity to each other,” said Mark Mackaiser, coastal Asset Manager of SA Corporate.
2. UPL Warehouse in Cornubia
UPL South Africa, which was a tenant, lost hundreds of millions of rands as a result of the products that were stored in the warehouse being destroyed. The company was a victim of arson attacks on July 12, 2021. The landlord and owner of the property, who is a member of the Fortress Group, also incurred hundreds of millions of rands in losses as a result of the warehouse being burnt down.
The demolition of the structure that remains on the site is set to begin in July and will determine the way forward with regard to future plans for the site.UPL, in collaboration with health authorities, established a health clinic staffed at UPL’s expense. An extensive public awareness campaign (including notifications to those who lodged complaints) inviting the public and complainants for a health assessment was launched.
3. The famous looted Blue Couch
The luxurious blue couch that found itself perched outside an informal settlement will finally be sold. The blue San Pablo leather corner sofa worth R70 000 from Leather Gallery made headlines across the country as people tried to locate it. Photos of the expensive couch went viral on social media, with the couch perched on the curbside and two people relaxing on it. The search ended in Quarry Road West Informal Settlement towards the end of July.
The couch was later restored and went on a tour. “The blue San Pablo Leather Corner Couch was such a light in those dark times during the looting and went viral on social media and in the news, making people forget about the terrible things that were happening around them just for a moment and lightened their moods.
“We hope to continue this tour and will keep our customers and community updated on our social media as to where it will be going next so that everyone can get a selfie with the actual famous blue San Pablo Leather Corner Couch.” This week, Leather Gallery said the couch was stored at their Durban warehouse. “We are working on plans for the couch to be auctioned soon and for the money to be donated.”
4. Makro in Springfield
Durban’s iconic Makro store based in Springfield was severely damaged, succumbing to a huge fire, destroying much of its infrastructure. However, after five months, the store reopened in December 2021. Makro Springfield General Manager Sue-Anne Jones said they were quick in their resolve, ensuring that none of the staff were left without jobs, redeploying them to other stores in KwaZulu-Natal.
The loss of Makro was felt by so many small-business owners in the community because they were used to buying in bulk at competitive prices. Many families also suffered due to job losses as well as the inconvenience of not having access to basic supplies.
The reopening of this store was a symbol of Marko Springfield’s rebirth and renewal, and according to Marketing Vice President at Massmart Wholesale, Judy Gounden, it would not have been possible without the support of our loyal customers. The brand new store offers a refreshed and innovative design, customer-focused hubs, a garden centre, digitally enhanced express checkout tills and reduced carbon footprints.
IOL