Photos have emerged of the damage caused to IT distributor Mustek’s offices in Durban, which were torched by a gang of marauding criminals on Monday.

South African taxi drivers, private security companies and ordinary civilians are stepping up to protect their businesses and communities following days of rioting and looting.

Crowds looted shops and offices in South Africa on Wednesday, defying government calls to end a week of violence that has killed more than 70 people and wrecked hundreds of businesses.

Durban and Richards Bay and a rail line connecting Durban with Gauteng have been disrupted by days of violent protests, state logistics group Transnet said on Wednesday.

Business leaders in Durban are crying out for more decisive action to curb the widespread looting and anarchy in KwaZulu-Natal, including an immediate state of emergency.

South Africans are expected to face major food shortages in the wake of days of violent unrest across two key provinces, as rioters upend supply chains by looting supermarkets and torching goods trucks.