Most wholesalers in Town Centre was closed ahead of the anticipated June 30th protests
The usually bustling shopping lanes of Bellville and Mitchells Plain fell eerily silent on Monday as business owners, workers and shoppers prepared for the uncertainty surrounding the anticipated June 30 anti-illegal immigration protests.
Instead of the familiar lunchtime rush, the narrow walkways of Town Centre in Mitchells Plain and Bellville's commercial district resembled ghost towns, with the sound of footsteps echoing through largely deserted passages.
Wholesalers, furniture outlets and clothing stores that would ordinarily be packed with customers remained locked behind shuttered doors well into the afternoon, as many traders opted to wait and assess the situation before reopening.
At one wholesaler in Mitchells Plain Town Centre, the owner kept his doors closed until 12.30pm in an attempt to avoid any potential confrontation.
