A SPATE of shootings in what is believed to be a turf war between Somali traders in Cape Town has left four men critically wounded.

Shakur Hosain, 30, was allegedly shot by an known Somali trader at Mdukiso Spaza in Harare, Khayelitsha, on Tuesday night.

He was rushed to the Tygerberg Hospital by his brother, where a single bullet was removed from his stomach. The attacker was arrested and is due to apply for bail in the Khayelitsha magistrates's court today.

Community police forum leader Boniswa Vutuse said: "This is the fourth attack in two weeks but the Somali Traders Association denies that their own people are attacking each other."

Western Cape Crisis Committee on Xenophobia chairperson Templeton Mbekwa said: "There is unhealthy competition among the traders and this leads to conflicts like these.

"Thugs will also use this opportunity to rob them."

Somali Traders Association chief Jamaal Mohammed denied the allegations of "a turf war" and said Hosain's shooting did not mean ''Somalis were at each other's throats".

"The alleged perpetrator was arrested and we expect the courts to deal with that," he said. "Somalis are not shooting each other. This was an isolated incident."

Harare SAPS spokesperson Constable Nosiphiwe Mntengwane admitted that a foreign national was arrested for Hosain's shooting.