Community members joined security staff and police to thwart possible looting at a mall near Pietermaritzburg on Thursday evening.

Hammarsdale councillor Lungisani Sikhakhane told TimesLIVE on Friday Junction Mall was under threat of looting when large crowds of people showed up at about 9.30pm.

The incident comes amid threats of a national shutdown on Friday which prompted police and other authorities to deploy law enforcement officers in anticipation of protest action, violence or looting.

“We heard rumours circulating in the area about the looting that will take place. Our community members stood up and said we will not allow this to happen again. If you can remember we had a very hard time in July last year. You couldn’t get bread — some people paid R25.”

The community decided they didn't want a repeat of the hardships they endured, with many saying they were still trying to recover.

Clusters of community members were patrolling the area and standing guard outside the mall, warming themselves in front of fires on Friday.

TimesLIVE