Mandla Mandela, the grandson of former President Nelson Mandela, has commended South Africans for protecting businesses in their areas, but added that it was shameful that the current looting was taking place in Mandela Month.

Protests against the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma turned violent over the weekend, with looting and violence continuing to plague parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Zuma is currently serving 15 months at the Estcourt Correctional Services.

“We find ourselves burying our heads in shame. It is also in such times that we are encouraged to cling onto Madiba’s legacy and say that we need to come together even in moments where we are tested as a nation,” he said.

Mandela said it was inspiring to see traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape speaking out and denouncing the violence.

“What inspired us most is the taxi associations that have come full circle to say that trade through these malls is being attacked by bringing people to town to these malls and [instead] blockading and protecting the malls. We applaud the taxi associations and we call on South Africans across our landscape to continue to preserve our malls and ensure that people are gaining access to food. In all of this mayhem, what is being affected most is that we are slowly witnessing the erosion of access to food supplies in the local supermarkets,” he said.

He pointed out that non-visibility of the South African Police Service in hot spots was disheartening, noting that police have been letting looters go free in full view of television news cameras.

He said communities need to send a clear message to government and to the Minister of Police Bheki Cele that this will not be tolerated.

He urged communities to work closely with the deployed members of the South African National Defence Force.

Meanwhile, Mandela has rejected that the ongoing looting were acts of ethnic tension.

“We wouldn’t want to see these looting labeled ethnic or tribal conflicts. Even the Zulu monarchs in KwaZulu-Natal have distanced themselves from this. Traditional leaders here in the Eastern Cape are rallying their support to say that this is certainly not an ethnic and tribal conflict. It has imploded by acts of criminals getting involved and being opportunistic,” he stated.

Mandela appealed to South Africans, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, to remain calm and urged all community leaders to step up their efforts to stop the looting.

He said while this was not the time to point fingers he stressed that those responsible for inciting violence, calling for shutdowns and encouraging lawlessness must take full responsibility. Mandela said South Africans need to take a stand together to prevent any further loss of lives and further deterioration of the economy.