KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Sihle Zikalala said on Thursday that while the action of apprehending a looter is justified, the manner in which he had done this was deeply regretted.

The KZN Premier’s office said it noted a video circulating which shows Zikalala assaulting a looter who was resisting apprehension, while he and his delegation were visiting the worst affected areas in the province.

Zikalala apologised unequivocally for the incident, saying he regretted the level of force used in apprehending the looter who was attempting to make off with goods that had been stolen from a nearby warehouse.

The province has seen stores and shopping malls looted, the destruction of infrastructure and trucks and the blocking of arterial routes such as the N2 and the N3. Protestors have also burned down factories, including South Korean technology firm LG Electronics' factory, in Durban.

Zikalala called on KZN residents to stand united, saying public violence has no place in society and that those who commit acts of destruction do not share in the values of the nation.

“Once again, we call upon all the people of KwaZulu-Natal to stand united in our diversity and begin our rebuilding programme,” he said.