A horse and trailer truck carrying a massive load of grocery items was looted after it overturned on the N6 near the AmaBhele village outside Stutterheim at the weekend.
Barely 30 minutes after tipping over, the truck was swamped by more than 500 villagers, bringing the traffic to a standstill on Sunday.
In some of the pictures taken by stuck motorists, villagers, including three Southern African Methodist Church members in uniform, can be seen helping themselves to the food items, such as rice, maize meal, samp and flour.
Dozens of elderly women can be seen in an open field sharing their loot stokvel style.
The looting allegedly took less than an hour to empty the truck.
Eastern Cape provincial spokeswoman Colonel Sibongile Soci said the truck was driving from Johannesburg heading to East London to deliver the load.
Soci said no injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.
University of Fort Hare vice- chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, who was stuck in the traffic backup, said police looked on while looters plundered the truck.
But Soci denied the allegation.
King William’s Town cluster commander Brigadier Luntu Ngubelanga condemned the looting spree.
Soci said: “SAPS can confirm that at about 2.05pm, Kei Road SAPS members were alerted to the accident scene on the N6 between Stutterheim and East London and dispatched immediately.
“Upon arrival at the scene, members found a crowd of more than 500 uncontrollable community members helping themselves to the contents of the overturned truck. Back-up was called to assist with crowd control and to disperse the crowd while members also assisted in ensuring the traffic flow on the N6.”
Soci said the value of the loot was yet to be submitted to the police by the owners of the truck.
On his Facebook page, Buhlungu said: “The truck was loaded with an assortment of grocery items ... It took us a while to get through the traffic bottleneck. In the commotion, residents of nearby AmaBhele village looted the goods. Police officers stood by and simply watched.”
Social media users poked fun while others expressed disappointment at the pictures of young Methodist Guilders who appeared to be taking part in the looting spree.
Siphelele Fuzani asked: “Nabantwana benkosi baya looter? .”
Thembela Vokwana wrote: Abalooti bachola-chola imanah? Uthixo akaphi ngasandla .”
Innocent Pikirayi said: “I am not surprised by the police action, but what and how much else could they do? Some of the looting locals look very well fed, such that the practice was about sustaining a lifestyle or habit.”
Free-for-all as villagers loot overturned truck on N6
Barely 30 minutes after tipping over, the truck was swamped by more than 500 villagers, bringing the traffic to a standstill on Sunday.
In some of the pictures taken by stuck motorists, villagers, including three Southern African Methodist Church members in uniform, can be seen helping themselves to the food items, such as rice, maize meal, samp and flour.
Dozens of elderly women can be seen in an open field sharing their loot stokvel style.
The looting allegedly took less than an hour to empty the truck.
Eastern Cape provincial spokeswoman Colonel Sibongile Soci said the truck was driving from Johannesburg heading to East London to deliver the load.
Soci said no injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.
University of Fort Hare vice- chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, who was stuck in the traffic backup, said police looked on while looters plundered the truck.
But Soci denied the allegation.
King William’s Town cluster commander Brigadier Luntu Ngubelanga condemned the looting spree.
Soci said: “SAPS can confirm that at about 2.05pm, Kei Road SAPS members were alerted to the accident scene on the N6 between Stutterheim and East London and dispatched immediately.
“Upon arrival at the scene, members found a crowd of more than 500 uncontrollable community members helping themselves to the contents of the overturned truck. Back-up was called to assist with crowd control and to disperse the crowd while members also assisted in ensuring the traffic flow on the N6.”
Soci said the value of the loot was yet to be submitted to the police by the owners of the truck.
On his Facebook page, Buhlungu said: “The truck was loaded with an assortment of grocery items ... It took us a while to get through the traffic bottleneck. In the commotion, residents of nearby AmaBhele village looted the goods. Police officers stood by and simply watched.”
Social media users poked fun while others expressed disappointment at the pictures of young Methodist Guilders who appeared to be taking part in the looting spree.
Siphelele Fuzani asked: “Nabantwana benkosi baya looter? .”
Thembela Vokwana wrote: Abalooti bachola-chola imanah? Uthixo akaphi ngasandla .”
Innocent Pikirayi said: “I am not surprised by the police action, but what and how much else could they do? Some of the looting locals look very well fed, such that the practice was about sustaining a lifestyle or habit.”
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