After months of haggling and threats a deal has finally been struck between competing local and Somali shopkeepers operating in several townships. (From IOL)
Mncedisi Twalo of the Anti-Eviction Campaign, who along with the UN High Commissioner of Refugees senior liaison officer Lawrence Mgbangson mediated the agreement, said the deal would "stabilise communities" in areas badly affected by xenophobia.
Part of the deal is for the Somalis to increase their prices on basic goods like bread, milk and maize meal to bring it in line with the locals.
Somali-owned shops would have to moved 100 metres away from the locals, new shops opened since July would have to close and only 30 percent of spaza's be owned by foreign nationals.
The agreement follows threats by Gugulethu and Kosovo spaza shop owners in June that their Somali competitors had seven days to leave the township or be forced out.
Mncedisi Twalo of the Anti-Eviction Campaign, who along with the UN High Commissioner of Refugees senior liaison officer Lawrence Mgbangson mediated the agreement, said the deal would "stabilise communities" in areas badly affected by xenophobia.
Part of the deal is for the Somalis to increase their prices on basic goods like bread, milk and maize meal to bring it in line with the locals.
Somali-owned shops would have to moved 100 metres away from the locals, new shops opened since July would have to close and only 30 percent of spaza's be owned by foreign nationals.
The agreement follows threats by Gugulethu and Kosovo spaza shop owners in June that their Somali competitors had seven days to leave the township or be forced out.
