Staff at a creche in Jeppestown‚ South of Johannesburg‚ had to turn children away on Monday after it was looted on Saturday night.

Only remnants of broken glass‚plates‚ a few toys and aprons could be seen at Edu-Cent Day Care on Monday.

Teachers had to turn parents away because the facility is ruined and empty.

Stanford Nembawre‚ a caretaker at the creche‚ said they found about the looting late on Sunday night.

He said when a mob broke into the creche‚ members of the community joined in and looted.

“They... stole everything that was inside: food‚ the stove‚utensils‚ appliances and other household goods.”

The children’s reading material and aprons were also stolen.

“There is nothing we can do now. We had to send the kids away.It’s painful because this is a facility for the children and if their parents cannot bring them here‚they can’t go to work.”

Nembawre said he did not believe the looting had anything to do with Xenophobic attacks.

“They are just taking advantage of the situation.

“These people had planned this. They knew they were going to come and destroy this creche.”

When TMG Digital visited the area‚ it was quiet. The police were visible and had cordoned off the street. — TMG Digital