A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) employee, caught on camera at the scene of a looting incident in KwaZulu-Natal, has been granted bail.
Police said a second person was also arrested.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala confirmed that two people were arrested and appeared in the Melmoth Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. They were granted R1 000 bail each.
She added that the matter was postponed until March 6.
Gwala said police were investigating charges of theft out of motor vehicle, robbery and looting after a meat-carrying truck was looted on January 19.
"The truck suffered a mechanical breakdown in Ndundulu in Melmoth.
"Suddenly, a group of unknown suspects, armed with a knife and a four-pound hammer, allegedly forced the padlock open. They took meat and loaded it in their vehicles. Two suspects, aged 40 and 54, were arrested and charged. Their vehicles were also seized for further investigation," Gwala said.
IOL previously reported that the incident was caught on camera by the truck owner who expressed his frustration about the looting.
In the clip, the truck owner confronts the MSF staffer.
"What are you doing? Why are you stealing my meat! There's my f***ing meat in the back of the van," the owner can be heard shouting.
The owner pans to the back of the MSF-branded vehicle, showing chunks of meat in the bin of the bakkie.
While the MSF has expressed concern about the incident, the MSF regional operational support manager in Southern Africa, Philip Aruna, said its own preliminary investigations revealed that the meat was put in the back of the MSF vehicle and that the alleged looters attempted to pressure the MSF driver into assisting them to flee with the meat.
Aruna said the MSF took the allegations seriously and would continue to collaborate with the investigation to determine the facts of the incident.
“We are committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical and professional behaviour and any violation of these standards is, for us, unacceptable. Pending the outcome of the legal proceedings, MSF will follow internal processes in accordance with South African labour law,” Aruna said.
IOL