Even the Golden Walk, which is usually packed with customers, was closed, with roller doors blocking each entrance.<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Germiston CBD shops closed as threats of violence, looting circulate<\/a><\/h4>\nSAPS and EMPD officers closed off several streets surrounding the Germiston Taxi Rank, where incidents of looting and criminality were being reported.<\/p>
<\/div>\nhttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/videos\/523580938186049\/?__xts__[0]=68.ARDABDBjyhV7G8m7hhdnbjkrL9IHKojbGVKKV-3JAGQXjOAgoSgorzWzjMzVrgxvHrojCUektfqDSpRVc1D8SRBQ7zw4wS13qdrVWZL09_7o1Jrmpnlegao8SGV5nVTUkowEr1tXENBPllRlUpv7cND7g6B3U_kuPfUuILx_MyJmHWe3JMBQWn7xomhefuDHENY5jdlMRT0h5jzSS6Mww8iZstvIMxjxdhfl4d9wcUkpe08bcPvAv_SGVVKDSkOvrZPRswVRrLErr4_K3lpCTAvZgYTCZurLYx2uQ9vaPy8lo_pR26gK08m7alGzqpUV08Fu6Q0l6-LSVld7y6Rfn9CpRZ0HwieFrT4&__tn__=-R<\/p>\n
The officers escorted commuters out of the taxi rank in small groups with the aim of filtering out the criminal element.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe criminals hid within the Germiston Taxi Rank,\u201d said Const Maxwell Mabunda, the communications officer for the Germiston police.<\/p>\n
Despite the best efforts of local business owners to protect their goods and stores, many were ransacked on Monday night.<\/p>\n
When journalists from GCN and sister newspaper Bedfordview and Edenvale News visited the CBD, many business owners could be seen assessing the damage to their shops, while others loaded as many goods as they could into waiting vehicles before fleeing the scene.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is estimated that 30 shops surrounding the Germiston Taxi Rank were looted,\u201d said Mabunda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe looters targeted not only foreign-owned shops, but locally owned shops as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice have arrested 35 suspects for public violence to date.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/09\/36-GCN-CRIME-TAXI-LH-2-Custom-520x400.jpg\")
SAPS officers search looted shops surrounding the Germiston Taxi Rank for would-be criminals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nLocal business owner Naser Bukharia explained that his store had been completely cleaned out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey broke in and took everything,\u201d Bukharia said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think we will continue to operate in the CBD any more.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey say it\u2019s an attack against foreigners, but we are from South Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another shop owner, Kingsley Akachukwu, owner of Maduchi Electronics, explained that his shop in President Street had also been broken into and all his stock stolen.<\/p>\n
Akachukwu has seven employees who depend on the income they earn at his store to support their families.<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Incidents of public violence in Germiston controlled by police<\/a><\/h4>\nGermiston police and the Germiston SAPS Task Team were active in the CBD on Tuesday afternoon, helping business owners remove their stock from their shops to prevent further losses.<\/p>\n
\u201cBusiness owners contacted the police to facilitate these services,\u201d said Mabunda.<\/p>\n
During one of these operations, which was attended by a GCN journalist, looters attempted to approach the shop as it was being emptied. Rubber bullets were fired at the looters while a crowd of men, women and children looked on.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/videos\/474132253140809\/?__xts__[0]=68.ARBejTTggiGjizSUkX0ozcPrve1SRnXaE6z8L4nmYHHztH_CP4fKmL_7OT0lRuPvhYBunnJczldPRJOVbKyWaEbYxkOT5HJ2VehkkQUaoL53jHpFs0vfGmufoFjmBYFZwbPF9sY3rgvaSCpJsonu7RQckS69or_LBm7pPXI6ohU-LA57RKhmXixOJPKCCo56kEqmwgzFRSgq2vOL1EwLmj4HandZEo-Y9xdMKyxlDC6nip8eHYPhxCC8gawPjf0y1K3cN0dHdiqtlWIRONj95twhnOFBPWaIwYf27oIWql5VeaNdGEdfkkG6-Kz6Q75j_U_RijJBKWEr4D6mno3JUe-2MYDKvFMC8zz08Q&__tn__=-R<\/p>\n
A CBD resident, who wished to remain anonymous, witnessed some of the looting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is absolutely no control and therefore the looting continues with no end in sight,\u201d the resident said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice forces should be on the ground at all times.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is really depressing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe saddest thing is the businesses are being destroyed by our own South African brothers and sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claims of looting in Lambton were not confirmed by the Germiston police.<\/p>\n
More details will be released as they become available.<\/p>\n
Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\nContact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nAlso follow us on:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/videos\/523580938186049\/?__xts__[0]=68.ARDABDBjyhV7G8m7hhdnbjkrL9IHKojbGVKKV-3JAGQXjOAgoSgorzWzjMzVrgxvHrojCUektfqDSpRVc1D8SRBQ7zw4wS13qdrVWZL09_7o1Jrmpnlegao8SGV5nVTUkowEr1tXENBPllRlUpv7cND7g6B3U_kuPfUuILx_MyJmHWe3JMBQWn7xomhefuDHENY5jdlMRT0h5jzSS6Mww8iZstvIMxjxdhfl4d9wcUkpe08bcPvAv_SGVVKDSkOvrZPRswVRrLErr4_K3lpCTAvZgYTCZurLYx2uQ9vaPy8lo_pR26gK08m7alGzqpUV08Fu6Q0l6-LSVld7y6Rfn9CpRZ0HwieFrT4&__tn__=-R<\/p>\n
The officers escorted commuters out of the taxi rank in small groups with the aim of filtering out the criminal element.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe criminals hid within the Germiston Taxi Rank,\u201d said Const Maxwell Mabunda, the communications officer for the Germiston police.<\/p>\n
Despite the best efforts of local business owners to protect their goods and stores, many were ransacked on Monday night.<\/p>\n
When journalists from GCN and sister newspaper Bedfordview and Edenvale News visited the CBD, many business owners could be seen assessing the damage to their shops, while others loaded as many goods as they could into waiting vehicles before fleeing the scene.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is estimated that 30 shops surrounding the Germiston Taxi Rank were looted,\u201d said Mabunda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe looters targeted not only foreign-owned shops, but locally owned shops as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice have arrested 35 suspects for public violence to date.\u201d<\/p>\n Local business owner Naser Bukharia explained that his store had been completely cleaned out.<\/p>\n \u201cThey broke in and took everything,\u201d Bukharia said.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think we will continue to operate in the CBD any more.<\/p>\n \u201cThey say it\u2019s an attack against foreigners, but we are from South Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n Another shop owner, Kingsley Akachukwu, owner of Maduchi Electronics, explained that his shop in President Street had also been broken into and all his stock stolen.<\/p>\n Akachukwu has seven employees who depend on the income they earn at his store to support their families.<\/p>\n Germiston police and the Germiston SAPS Task Team were active in the CBD on Tuesday afternoon, helping business owners remove their stock from their shops to prevent further losses.<\/p>\n \u201cBusiness owners contacted the police to facilitate these services,\u201d said Mabunda.<\/p>\n During one of these operations, which was attended by a GCN journalist, looters attempted to approach the shop as it was being emptied. Rubber bullets were fired at the looters while a crowd of men, women and children looked on.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/videos\/474132253140809\/?__xts__[0]=68.ARBejTTggiGjizSUkX0ozcPrve1SRnXaE6z8L4nmYHHztH_CP4fKmL_7OT0lRuPvhYBunnJczldPRJOVbKyWaEbYxkOT5HJ2VehkkQUaoL53jHpFs0vfGmufoFjmBYFZwbPF9sY3rgvaSCpJsonu7RQckS69or_LBm7pPXI6ohU-LA57RKhmXixOJPKCCo56kEqmwgzFRSgq2vOL1EwLmj4HandZEo-Y9xdMKyxlDC6nip8eHYPhxCC8gawPjf0y1K3cN0dHdiqtlWIRONj95twhnOFBPWaIwYf27oIWql5VeaNdGEdfkkG6-Kz6Q75j_U_RijJBKWEr4D6mno3JUe-2MYDKvFMC8zz08Q&__tn__=-R<\/p>\n A CBD resident, who wished to remain anonymous, witnessed some of the looting.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is absolutely no control and therefore the looting continues with no end in sight,\u201d the resident said.<\/p>\n \u201cPolice forces should be on the ground at all times.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is really depressing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe saddest thing is the businesses are being destroyed by our own South African brothers and sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n Claims of looting in Lambton were not confirmed by the Germiston police.<\/p>\n More details will be released as they become available.<\/p>\n Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Also follow us on:<\/p>\nALSO READ:\u00a0Incidents of public violence in Germiston controlled by police<\/a><\/h4>\n
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