KWADABEKA, KWAZULU-NATAL — The KwaDabeka looting that struck the Clermont area west of Durban has left local businesses reeling, prompting the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to secure the Save More shopping centre. By Wednesday morning, military personnel were stationed at the heavily damaged complex following a chaotic overnight raid that targeted multiple retail outlets.
The coordinated attacks hit at least two supermarkets and a dental practice. Looters completely stripped the general inventory of the Save More supermarket, while also making off with dental equipment and goods from other stores. Cash was also heavily targeted; perpetrators forced their way into an ATM, extracted the internal safe, and caused significant structural damage to additional safes located in the centre’s offices.
Mohammed Abdul, the centre and store manager for Save More, described the devastation on the ground, estimating that the financial damages run into millions of rand. “You can see whatever damage would happen,” Abdul noted while surveying the ransacked aisles, adding that the general store had been entirely emptied of its stock.
Despite the presence of law enforcement and the eventual arrival of the SANDF, the sheer volume of the looters overwhelmed the security response. Abdul explained that the authorities arrived late, shortly after 1:00 AM, when the ransacking was already in full swing. Faced with a massive, aggressive crowd, police and defense force members were forced to prioritize human safety over property protection.
“When the shop was first being looted, the law enforcement came to us and said, ‘Guys, we are here to save your life,'” Abdul recounted. He explained that officers saw the overwhelming crowd and realized they could not defend the property. “They tried to defend, but it never happened,” he added, noting that workers were instructed to protect themselves and stay away from the rioters.
The destruction of Save More represents a severe blow to the local economy. Abdul clarified that the store is owned by a foreign national who is in the country legally. More importantly, it serves as a critical retail hub for the surrounding neighborhoods, employing 19 local residents and providing essential goods to hundreds of community members.
This is not the first time the centre has been devastated by mass looting. Abdul pointed out that the business suffered a nearly identical fate during the July 2021 civil unrest, making this the second major incident of its kind. While workers were seen on Wednesday attempting to bolt the doors and secure the perimeter, the future of the store remains uncertain.
With several other businesses in the broader Clermont area also confirmed to have been hit, the immediate focus remains on assessing the catastrophic losses. “I don’t know what we are going to do from now,” Abdul admitted, stating that management is currently just counting the massive costs while trying to figure out the next steps for the community’s primary retail lifeline.