This comes after an ongoing looting of shopping centers, mostly in provinces such as Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Parsons said that the current cycle of violent acts has posed a risk to the economic recovery, caused job losses, destroyed infrastructure, and undermined vaccination programmes.

"The longer it takes to restore calm, the more the economic and human costs of the present instability in South Africa will rise. This is inevitable. The economy is already grappling with a Level 4 lockdown. The latest cycle of violence must be contained sooner rather than later to avoid further economic jeopardy," said Parsons. He further stated that all key stakeholders, together with strengthened security forces, must demonstrate necessary leadership in order to recreate stability that the economy and society need.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi