Foreign shop owners in Pretoria are on edge‚ abandoning their shops in the hotspots as the anti-foreigners march planned for Friday looms.
In Nellmapius‚ near Mamelodi‚ all but one shop have been abandoned with owners taking what they could as looting escalated this week in Atteridgeville and Lotus Gardens and houses occupied by foreigners in Pretoria West were torched.
Somalian Hassan Isse Mohamed‚ 29‚ is the last standing foreign shop owner in the township‚ with faith in the support of his neighbours.
“I have very supportive neighbours and they have promised to fight with me‚” he said.
The married father of two has been running the Madiba Shop on Odirile street in extension 2 for almost 10 years‚ since 2009‚ and has built a strong bond with the community.
“What we were taught at school about the ubuntu country of (Nelson) Mandela is totally opposite of what we are experiencing in South Africa‚” he said.
The first encounter with a looting mob was during a service delivery protest in 2013.
With the march looming‚ Mohamed said‚ a possible repeat was imminent. But he said he was being kept abreast of developments by community leaders.
“I have been assured that if the mood gets ugly‚ then I will be told to move. But then I will have to leave everything behind. I will be finished‚” he said.
Mohamed said he has always lived in fear‚ with some threatening community members telling him to go home.
Foreign-owned shops have been abandoned in all of the four townships in Tshwane in the wake of the anticipated march on Friday by “concerned residents” of Mamelodi‚ who claim foreigners living in the area are taking local jobs.
The newly-formed Coalition of Civics Against Xenophobia‚ made up of both South Africans and representatives of local foreigner communities‚ under the auspices of the Lawyers for Human Rights‚ has vowed to try to stop the march.
The coalition said other xenophobes in other parts of the country will see the march as a licence to openly speak their message of hatred against immigrants and even to take violent action against them.
“It is the duty of the state to protect people and their belongings. To allow this march would be a dereliction of duty by state authorities‚ namely‚ the President (Jacob Zuma)‚ the Premier of Gauteng (David Makhura)‚ the Mayor of Tshwane (Solly Msimanga) and other state and government offices and officials. If blood is spilled as a result of this march‚ it will be on their hands‚” the coalition said in a statement.
It is still not clear whether the march has been approved‚ with Tshwane metro police spokesperson‚ Superintendent Isaac Mahamba‚ saying they will issue a statement shortly to pronounce on the contentious march.
Pretoria on edge as the anti-foreign march looms
Foreign shop owners in Pretoria are on edge‚ abandoning their shops in the hotspots as the anti-foreigners march planned for Friday looms.
In Nellmapius‚ near Mamelodi‚ all but one shop have been abandoned with owners taking what they could as looting escalated this week in Atteridgeville and Lotus Gardens and houses occupied by foreigners in Pretoria West were torched.
Somalian Hassan Isse Mohamed‚ 29‚ is the last standing foreign shop owner in the township‚ with faith in the support of his neighbours.
“I have very supportive neighbours and they have promised to fight with me‚” he said.
The married father of two has been running the Madiba Shop on Odirile street in extension 2 for almost 10 years‚ since 2009‚ and has built a strong bond with the community.
“What we were taught at school about the ubuntu country of (Nelson) Mandela is totally opposite of what we are experiencing in South Africa‚” he said.
The first encounter with a looting mob was during a service delivery protest in 2013.
With the march looming‚ Mohamed said‚ a possible repeat was imminent. But he said he was being kept abreast of developments by community leaders.
“I have been assured that if the mood gets ugly‚ then I will be told to move. But then I will have to leave everything behind. I will be finished‚” he said.
Mohamed said he has always lived in fear‚ with some threatening community members telling him to go home.
Foreign-owned shops have been abandoned in all of the four townships in Tshwane in the wake of the anticipated march on Friday by “concerned residents” of Mamelodi‚ who claim foreigners living in the area are taking local jobs.
The newly-formed Coalition of Civics Against Xenophobia‚ made up of both South Africans and representatives of local foreigner communities‚ under the auspices of the Lawyers for Human Rights‚ has vowed to try to stop the march.
The coalition said other xenophobes in other parts of the country will see the march as a licence to openly speak their message of hatred against immigrants and even to take violent action against them.
“It is the duty of the state to protect people and their belongings. To allow this march would be a dereliction of duty by state authorities‚ namely‚ the President (Jacob Zuma)‚ the Premier of Gauteng (David Makhura)‚ the Mayor of Tshwane (Solly Msimanga) and other state and government offices and officials. If blood is spilled as a result of this march‚ it will be on their hands‚” the coalition said in a statement.
It is still not clear whether the march has been approved‚ with Tshwane metro police spokesperson‚ Superintendent Isaac Mahamba‚ saying they will issue a statement shortly to pronounce on the contentious march.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos