‘Brookside Mall lost millions’
The destruction of Brookside Mall during the July 2021 unrest had a devastating impact on people that relied on their jobs at the shopping centre to support their families according to property manager Duncan Momplé.
He was testifying for the state during the sentencing proceedings of Mdumiseni Zuma (36) at the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court yesterday.
In his evidence, Momplé said he received notification on Sunday, July 11, of a video on social media of someone inciting public violence at the mall.
He then called the mall's head office, which instructed him not to open the mall the following day.
“Later that day, the mall was looted and destroyed,” testified Momplé saying the destruction and losses had cost tenants R190 million with Checkers Hyper suffering losses of R150 million.
“The psychological damage and trauma was intensive. Many employees had to be relocated to other stores much further away. Others unfortunately lost their jobs. I was moved to Durban to work with other managers, but I eventually resigned,” he told the court.
The destruction of the Brookside Mall also impacted on around 5000 social grant recipients who used the facility to access their funds. He said the South African Post Office was in the process of opening a branch at the mall didn’t do so at the time due to the violence and arson.
Another witness, Mohammed Khan, who was providing security services at the mall, told the court that at the time, he had about 24 security personnel working for him but had to retrench 22 of his staff because there was no site after the mall was looted and destroyed.
“We had to wait for the mall to be rebuilt again and we only went back to provide our services at the mall in August 2022,” said Khan.
Earlier on the day, Faral Ally submitted a correctional service supervision report advising that Zuma be given a prison sentence as he was not for correction supervision.
“The case he is facing is serious. It affected a lot of people and many of them lost their jobs. In my opinion, he must be sentenced to imprisonment with no correctional service supervision.”
He added that during the interview with correctional services, Zuma did not show remorse and offer any apology for his actions.
Social development probation officer Zinhle Mqadi submitted an initial report recommending that Zuma must be sentenced in terms of Section 2761(i) could be sentenced to correctional supervision as opposed to imprisonment. However, during cross examination by the state prosecutor, Mqadi did an about turn and recommended a direct term of imprisonment.
“I am withdrawing that accused can be sentenced under correctional service supervision because what he did is a life-threatening offence. I agree that my recommendation was wrong,” she testified.
Originally from Inkandla, Mdumiseni
Zuma was convicted in September for inciting public violence related to the incidents of looting and arson that occurred in Pietermaritzburg in July 2021, in particular the burning of Brookside Mall.
Although he was acquitted on the charge of incitement to commit arson his conviction for incitement to cause public violence was the state’s first successful prosecution against those implicated in the violence that engulfed the country two years ago after the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma.
The matter is continuing today.