Another night of looting in the East Rand
Gauteng police have arrested 54 people in Tembisa for looting, while authorities also had to disperse a crowd of alleged looters in Katlehong on Thursday.
This follows a week of several incidents of looting and violence in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD), the Pretoria CBD and Ekhuruleni.
Since Sunday, the number of people arrested for looting and public violence has risen to 289.
Gauteng Police spokesperson, Lungelo Dlamini, says police presence has increased in areas across the East Rand.
"We believe the criminal elements have taken over, they go to these shops and loot," warns Dlamini.
"As we are continuing now, we are investigating various robberies, these people are actually robbing stores, it is no longer foreign national owned shops," adds Dlamini.
Police are currently also monitoring other areas identified as hotpots around Gauteng.
READ: Shops looted in Katlehong, Thokoza