WATCH: Mall management tells of firing live ammunition to deter looters

It was to no avail, as all 34 stores were cleaned out by looters on Monday. 

Centre manager Jabulani Sibiya says the live ammunition was the only way to deter looters while they waited hours for police.

“We had live ammunition when we started when they tried to enter the centre. We fired several shots in the air, I called SAPS for assistance, which of course they didn’t arrive in time. And when they came with a van, they only sat at the robots and did nothing. 

“So we did that for a couple of hours, hours and hours shooting in the air. No assistance from the SAPS. Until about three and four where they now invaded the food court and shops around there. They went back and regrouped, at about 5 they invaded the Pick n Pay Liquor and shops around there. “ 

The damages is expected to run into the millions.

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It has also left the fate of more than 1000 employees at the centre hanging in the air. 

Sibiya says on top of the predicted job losses, the violence will be felt by communities for some time.

This is because consumers will now have to travel a great distance to buy their basic food items. 

“The people who are going to suffer are the community members around here because now we'll have to travel using double transport to Southgate. It was easier for people to come to the centre and buy whatever they wanted to buy. Things are going to be more expensive.”