Sky News correspondent John Sparks has reported several food warehouses and a rice depot have been “invaded” and “ransacked” by people in Durban, South Africa.

Sparks described the scene in the Mobeni area as “absolute chaos” and “out of control” as looters have been “carting off” what was inside the facilities.

He said they had brought cars and trucks to fill up their vehicles with what they could get their hands on.

"This is really out of control, there is no law and order"

At least 72 people have been killed during unrest in South Africa sparked by the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma, according to police.

Africa correspondent @sparkomat has the latesthttps://t.co/ORjzWSRpTf pic.twitter.com/iva3KqSzgb

There has been mass looting and rioting in multiple locations in the city and elsewhere in the country, including in some areas of Johannesburg, such as Vosloorus in the eastern part of the city.

The unrest was sparked by the imprisonment last week of former president Jacob Zuma, which has spiralled into days of looting in two of South Africa’s nine provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

At least 72 people have been killed and 1,234 have been arrested in waves of rioting. The violence has not spread to the country’s other seven provinces, where police are on alert.

Many of the deaths were caused by chaotic stampedes as thousands of people stole food, electric appliances, alcohol and clothing from stores, police said.

The government has said 2,500 troops have been deployed on the streets to support officers and try to restore law and order.

Extraordinary scenes in Mobeni in Durban as thousands of people loot food warehouses and a rice depot … people are hungry but here, people have brought trucks and cars and stuffed them full with anything they can seize. pic.twitter.com/Z34uHMveqh

But Sparks said the army was nowhere to be seen as people were just “helping themselves”.

He added: “This is really out of control.”

“What we have here is something quite extraordinary. People have broken into food warehouses and they are stripping them, they are emptying them.”

Among the items being stolen were mattresses, kitchen appliances and boxes of sardines.

In eastern Johannesburg, some shopping centres continued to be targeted, while in Soweto township, south of the city, police and army units patrolled malls and streets.

Acting minister in the presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said the government was working with the consumer council to ensure food security.

There have been fears that the anarchy and looting could lead to food shortages.

Sparks had earlier been at another mass looting location where people told him they were “hungry”.

Lots of South Africans have lost jobs in the pandemic, including during lockdowns, and they were living “very much a hand-to-mouth existence”.

Sparks said COVID restrictions “have hurt people here”.

Violence broke out after Zuma began serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court last week.

He was jailed for refusing to comply with a court order to testify at a state-backed inquiry investigating allegations of corruption while he was president from 2009 to 2018.

Related posts:

Catalan separatists pardoned by Spanish PM looking for ‘reconciliation’ Why India is concerned about ‘Delta plus’ variant and a third wave – as 41 cases detected in UK Missing toddler found alive by journalist sent to cover disappearance Train driver faces trial over crash that killed 80 people in Spain Japan prepares for Olympics Opening Ceremony as PM vows to ‘fulfil our obligation to the world’ North Korea fires submarine-launched ballistic missile, says South – and it disrupts Japan election campaign Protesters in Chile clash with police two years after landmark uprising – as election race hots up China does ‘not need UK actions to encourage’ it to be more ambitious in tackling climate change Injuries and arrests during ‘orgy of violence’ at COVID-19 riots that saw police open fire ‘It’s a desperate situation’: Fuel purchases limited in Canadian province after torrential rains and mudslides ‘No to vaccination’: Thousands take to streets in European cities to protest against COVID measures Pensioner in France kills bear with rifle after part of his leg torn off in attack