Foreign-Owned Shops Looted in Durban
Foreign-owned businesses in parts of Durban have suffered heavy losses after a wave of looting during the June 30 demonstrations, reports EWN. At least eight shops in Mariannridge and six in Clermont were targeted. Businesses in Hammarsdale and Umlazi were also affected. One of the hardest-hit stores, Lovemore Supermarket in Clermont, lost more than R1 million worth of stock and sustained extensive property damage. The supermarket was owned by a Somali family who had lived in the community for more than a decade and employed 19 local people who are now unemployed. Community leaders have condemned the attacks, blaming criminal elements for the violence.
Rights Group Urges End to Mangaung Prison Dispute
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The Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR) has urged the Department of Correctional Services and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) to resolve their dispute following the government's takeover of the former Mangaung Correctional Centre, reports SABC News. The centre, which has now been named Grootvlei Maximum Correctional Centre, was previously managed by security company G4S. The takeover follows scrutiny of the prison after convicted criminal Thabo Bester escaped in 2022. Around 250 former G4S employees have reportedly been left without jobs and were allegedly locked out of the facility. SAPOHR has warned it will call for hunger strikes and passive resistance if the standoff is not resolved by next week.
Google Expands South Africa Investment
Google has announced major new investments in South Africa as part of its next phase of expansion across Africa, reinforcing the country's position as a regional technology hub, reports EWN. Speaking at the Africa Cloud Summit in Johannesburg, the company said it had surpassed its five-year target of investing US$1 billion on the continent and unveiled plans for a new connectivity hub in the Eastern Cape, a R3 million digital innovation centre in Soweto, and support for 15 South African start-ups through its accelerator programme. Google's senior vice president for research and technology, James Manyika, said the company is committed to helping Africa unlock the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
