Looters hit city shops

When the youths gathered at the Zanu-PF Harare provincial headquarters at around 8am for a demonstration that police had sanctioned, they cited among their grievances the Government’s alleged snail’s pace in implementing indigenisation policies.
They were particularly incensed by Harare City Council’s decision last year to get into a joint venture with a South African firm to manage municipal parking, saying a local company could have also done the job.
The youths said they were missing out on advancement opportunities because they could not compete with cash-rich foreigners who could rent expensive retail space in the city and pay large sums of money as “goodwill” to sell their wares.
The toyi-toying youths marched into the city centre under police escort, but things turned nasty when another group joined them as they moved towards the Gulf Complex near Market Square, which houses numerous small retail shops.
Many of these shops are understood to be run by non-indigenous people who have the advantage of paying higher rentals than locals and thus make it difficult for the indigenisation policy to take effect within that sector.
The arrival of the other group resulted in a looting orgy at Gulf Complex and police say they are still investigating the matter.
Shop owners hurriedly closed their shops and fled, fea-ring attacks similar to those seen recently in Mbare, Budi-riro and Epworth, after which several youths reportedly aligned to MDC-T were arrested.
Harare Province police spokesman Inspector James Sa-bau said police arrested eight people for looting.
“The original demonstration was supposed to take place from Zanu-PF Harare Province offices to Town House. The original demonstration was against the awarding of the par-king tender to Easipark of South Africa.
“We had deployed our personnel on that route. But when people were gathering, we heard there was another group at the Gulf Complex. We are still investigating the origins of that group,” he said.
Insp Sabau said police arrested some known Mbare cri-minals who were on the police wanted list.
He said police had since recovered some of the property looted yesterday.
Chaos at the Gulf Complex saw people looting electrical appliances and household goods.
The rowdy group ransacked shops and left many shelves bare.
One of the looters jumped off the second floor of the complex when riot police cornered him and he reportedly broke both legs.
Shop operators complained of huge losses, with some estimating them at up to US$20 000 each.
Mr Moreblessing Muhamba said he lost goods worth US$10 000.
“I sell original cellphones. They are all gone,” he lame-nted.
Mr Derick Mawire said it would be difficult for many of them to resuscitate operations.
“How do I come back? I’ve been wiped clean. I lost goods worth over US$5 000,” he said.
Mr Nqobile Chidhobha said he lost laptops, television  sets, computer hard drives and four boxes of cell-phones.
A survey showed that the complex — with close to 240 shops — has less than 30 Nigerians operating and a few Chinese.
The rest of the operators are black Zimbabweans.
The survey was prompted by allegations by some of the looters that foreigners had hijacked the complex.
However, a Zimbabwean at the complex said: “If they need shops, they should follow procedure.
“They should identify the shops operated by the Nigerians if it is what they want.”
Mr Scott Sakupwanya, the president of Upfumi Kuvadiki — the organisers of the original demonstration — slammed the looting.
“As youth we feel that the entry of Easipark from South Africa (to manage municipal parking) defeats indigeni-sation.
“Youths should have been empowered to partner the city in the venture.
“The demonstration was not partisan and included youths from all walks of life, but some hooligans hijacked the programme.
“It is totally unacceptable and does not help our legitimate cause.
“Indigenisation should benefit everyone regardless of political affiliation, but when people go and steal things then they hurt us when we are already hurting.
“However, we will continue demonstrating until the ma-tter is resolved.”
He said police should arrest everyone implicated in the looting.
Their organisation will today deliver petitions to Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda, town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi, Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo and his Empowerment counterpart Saviour Kasukuwere dema-nding Easipark’s withdrawal from the city.
By mid afternoon, Easipark marshals were not visible on the streets though it was not clear if they had been called off or had left of their own volition.
It has been alleged that senior council officials have shareholding in Easipark and have employed their friends, girlfriends and party campaign managers.
Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth league chairman Cde Jimu Kunaka said unruly elements hijacked the demonstration and they had then called their members               off.
“We were infiltrated. Once we realised that, we called off the demonstration. We do not know who the looters are.”
Sporadic demonstrations have been noted in Mbare, Bu-diriro and Epworth.
These follow suggestions by MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai that the kind of chaos seen in Tunisia and Egypt in recent weeks was acceptable.