Update (1548ET): As the worst violence in years plagues South Africa, the country's largest oil refinery, Sapref, has shuttered operations "due to the civil unrest in the country and disruption of supply routes in and out of Kwazulu-Natal," the company said.
"Due to the civil unrest in the country and disruption of supply routes in and out of Kwazulu-Natal, suppliers of materials critical to SAPREF operations communicated the suspension of deliveries to the refinery due to safety concerns for their staff and damages to their vehicles on the roads," the statement read.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has already deployed the military to quell the unrest as shopping malls and warehouses are looted.
Ramaphosa warned that shortages from food to medicines could be imminent.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed the military Monday to restore law and order after days of violent protests and mass looting following the imprisonment of former leader Jacob Zuma. The latest round of social unrest is some of the worst since the mid-1990s.
The widespread looting and social unrest were triggered by last week's incarceration of former President Zuma. Ramaphosa addressed the nation Monday evening, pleading for calm and for looters to consider the consequences of their actions.
"We are therefore mobilizing all available resources and capabilities to restore order," Ramaphosa told the nation.
"Let me be clear: we will take action to protect every person in this country against the threat of violence, intimidation, theft, and looting."
"What we are witnessing now are opportunistic acts of criminality," the president said. He also warned that unrest could undermine efforts to quell the virus pandemic.
"Our vaccination program has been severely disrupted just as it is gaining momentum."
The president also warned that in a matter of weeks, "there's a huge risk of food insecurity and medication insecurity."
His comments on national television come 24 hours after COVID lockdowns were extended for another two weeks.
The deployment of the army and other forces have been sent to several townships in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and the North West, as the local police have been overwhelmed by the violence.
The unrest has already disrupted business activity in parts of the country and could undermine the economic recovery and confidence in the country by foreign investors.
South Africa could be on the verge of collapse, and all the warning signs are there. The looters have targeted foreign shops, shopping centers, distribution centers/warehouses, and raided gun shops. Shortages are emerging in food, fuel, and ammo.
Over 70 have reportedly been killed since social unrest began last week after ex-president Jacob Zuma was jailed for failing to appear at a corruption inquiry. Supporters of Zuma, the nation's first Zulu president, have been on a looting spree that has crippled KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Johannesburg and disrupted national supply routes, resulting in food and fuel shortages in the affected area.
According to the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa, more than 600 stores have been looted with hundreds millions of dollars in damage.
President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed the military to quell the unrest, but nothing has worked so far worked.
Civilians are defending their own communities and running low on food, fuel, and ammo; supply chains are destroyed, and it wasn't quick, about a week, as the country faces collapse.
On Tuesday, Sapref refinery near Durban, operated by Shell and BP, had shuttered operations due to civil unrest.
There's also news that the country's top chicken and meat processor, Rainbow Chickens Ltd., was raided by looters, which means widespread food shortages could be imminent.
Allegedly, some security firms are reporting police are "low on ammunition."
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