Retailer Shoprite has deployed its "Usave Ekasi " trucks to the Jabulani community in Soweto to assist in shopping for essential grocery items after the local mall was destroyed in the recent unrest.

Jabulani Mall, situated in South Africa's biggest township, Soweto, was one of the many shopping centres damaged by looters when violent rioting and looting took place in the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Since the unrest, some Shoprite stores in the two provinces have not been able to operate. The retailer has been working on restocking and rebuilding its affected stores with plans to reopen as soon as possible.

Until this is done, Africa's largest retailer has sent in it is mobile trucks to ensure that consumers at least have access to essential products.

"Two Usave eKasi trucks were recently deployed to Jabulani in Soweto to enable community members to purchase basic food items and other necessities until Shoprite Jabulani reopens," the retailer told Business Insider South Africa.

The retailer plans to reopen the doors to its Jabulani store on Thursday, 29 July.

The grocery trucks will next visit the Ratanda community, a township south of Johannesburg, before moving to other affected areas, it said.

The Shoprite group started rolling out the Usave Ekasi mobile grocery stores last year when the Covid-19 pandemic surfaced in the country in a bid to get closer to communities and help them save on transport costs. It also introduced the trucks to ensure food security.