Somalis fear xenophobic syndicate

Cape Town - Somalis fear a xenophobic syndicate is operating in the Western Cape, killing their nationals - 26 in a year to last month.

The combined death toll in the other provinces was 14, said Somali journalist Mohamed Noor, who has been working in South Africa tracking attacks on Somalis for two years.

Last year there were 56 killings in the province by which beating to death with blunt objects was the most common cause, Noor added.

“Generally, South Africa is a hospitable country, with a refugee-friendly constitution. As a refugee you are almost guaranteed free health-care service, freedom of movement, the right of ownership of property, business and are treated equally to all in front of a court of law,” said Noor.

“But there are serious issues to be addressed like the spate of killings against Somali nationals, in which most of the cases appear to be xenophobic or targeted.”

He listed some of the “hot spots” for Somali killings as Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Gugulethu, Philippi and Delft.

The Cape Times is in possession of the 26 death certificates dating to August last year. The certificates list the deaths of the Somalis as “unnatural”.

Police spokeswoman Novela Potelwa said any murder or alleged murder was a big concern, and that it always launched full-scale investigations of any murder.

Potelwa said the “unnatural death” citing did not necessarily mean Somalis were murdered at the hands of South Africans. The department would need to further its investigation to be able to comment on suspicions of a syndicate operation, Potelwa said.

Somali Council of Elders secretary-general Hussein Ali Omar alleged there was a “specific group of people” targeting the Somali community. “It seems attacks on the Somali community are organised. Although the attacks happen in different areas, it seems there are certain groups in the different areas who carry out the murders,” Omar said.

Somali Association of SA provincial spokesman Mohamed Aden said informal traders in the townships, in particular, faced ongoing attacks.

“We have a good relationship with the police. We always work with them to apprehend the suspects responsible for the attacks. But this is an ongoing trend that started in 2008,” Aden said.

Last month, two Somalis died after they were wounded by gunmen as they sat in a car metres from their shop in Elsies River. The men, in their thirties, died in Tygerberg Hospital.

In July, thousands of protesters in Langa moved from Bhunga Avenue to Washington Drive while 53 Somali shops were looted.

Recovering from the incident, Allie Hussein, who still bears a scar in his neck because of a stabbing during the incident, erected heavy metal fencing outside his shop in Langa. During the uproar over housing allocation, protesters looted his shop and broke Hussien’s fridge. He was unable to sell any cold cooldrinks or milk, and that affected his business, he said.

Allie Ahmed, a shopkeeper in Langa, said he lost his brother when armed robbers opened fire at their shop in Kraaifontein last year. He had no choice but to keep trading, as his family in Somalia relied on the income he made here.

The Western Cape Department of Community Safety spokesman, Ewald Botha, said they were consulting about the policing needs and priorities process and that people, irrespective of nationality, were encouraged to attend.

- Cape Times

Shop owners hiding in Hopefield mosque

Cape Town - Foreign shop owners in Hopefield have taken refuge in a mosque after a violent robbery was followed by residents descending on 13 foreign-owned spaza shops and beating up their owners.

A shop owner allegedly stabbed an attacker to death after his (the owner’s) cheek and lip were cut off.

The trouble began when three knife-wielding men entered the spaza shop in Hopefield of Azizi Mohamad, 32, his brother Mohamadek Husein Mohamad and their friend, a fellow Somali known only as Abse, just after 8pm on Sunday.

The trio fended off the robbers, but one of the assailants, a man from Hopefield, grabbed Abse outside the shop and cut off his cheek and lip. Abse allegedly stabbed the man to death. Moments later, residents from the Hopefield community stormed the shop, beating up the brothers. Abse fled.

The residents then looted and damaged 13 other foreign-owned spaza shops, prompting more than 30 foreign business owners to seek refuge in the Hopefield mosque.

Most of the owners are shocked about what happened and afraid to go back to their businesses. Some have since gone to Saldanha.

The brothers have lodged a complaint with police.

When the Cape Times visited the mosque on Thursday, the owners - from Somalia, Ethiopia and Bangladesh - were asleep on the floor.

Mohamadek Husein Mohamad, 28, said: “Three men tried to rob us. They all had knives. They tried to break in, but we fought back and overpowered them. Moments later, we heard lots of noise… the three guys had come back with their friends. It was chaotic. There were many of them. They started throwing stones, bottles and they were all carrying knives.”

Abse went outside to try to calm the situation. “As he opened the door, they all grabbed him. They started attacking him. He was bleeding a lot.

His lower lip and cheek were cut off. He was on the ground when he managed to grab a knife and stabbed one of the guys. The guy died instantly.

Then lots of people were coming inside the shop. The two of us escaped, we don’t know where he went.” Azizi Mohamad said Abse had tried hard to “fight back”.

Mohamadek Husein Mohamad said they had struggled to get through to the police. They did not know where Abse had gone.

A fellow Somali, Aden Ahmed Hassen, said he had owned his shop for six years.

“Hopefield people love us. We have never had any problems. A couple of thugs are using the community to set their agendas. What happened is something we all regret.”

Nadiya Baru, a Canadian married to a Somali shop owner, said she had been on holiday visiting her husband. “Homes that took six years to build were gone in five minutes,” she said.

“We are on the brink of being attacked. We do not know who to turn to.

We heard they might attack the mosque also.”

Hopefield resident Margot Alateros-Van Heeroe visited the mosque on Thursday to offer moral support. She assured them that not all the residents were xenophobic.

Police were asked for comment, but this had not been received by deadline.

siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za

- Cape Times

Fear keeps Langa shop doors shut

Cape Town - A week after more than 50 shops were looted and goods stolen during a violent protest, most foreign shopowners in Langa still fear their businesses will be targeted despite the community assuring them their stores are safe.

Langa community leaders had previously apologised to foreign shopowners after some residents looted some of their shops during a service delivery protest last week.

Kools Pub was among the 53 shops which were looted during last week’s protest.

More than 10 cases of whisky were stolen. Three men were caught on camera using rubbish bins to cart the alcohol away.

Baoming Zhuang from China, who works at the pub, said they would not open until they were sure the unrest in the community was over.

“They took us by surprise. We quickly closed our door, but despite that, they managed to break in.

“They used a crowbar to gain access to the shop. All the windows were smashed and we haven’t replaced them. We have not opened the store since Wednesday because we fear they might come back,” he said.

“The three guys did not know that we had cameras. They took the most expensive stuff including the sound system that cost about R30 000.

“They also took R50 000 from the till.

“I don’t know how much money the alcohol they stole is worth. They stole cases of expensive whisky. More than 12 cases were stolen.”

He said he believed those responsible had used the protest “for their own benefit”.

Shuidindi Lin, owner of Kools Pub, said they were still calculating how much the repairs would cost.

He said the safety of his workers were his priority.

“I would not want to take a risk and open (the shop). What we saw last week was really frightening. I don’t know when I will open again because we need to do a lot of repairs.”

Daniel Gebre from Ethiopia had a narrow escape when his car was set alight while he was trying to run away. His shop was empty after it was looted.

“I tried to open earlier this week, but I could see that there was no peace yet.

“I closed my shop because I still feel going back there would be very risky.

“I lost everything and I don’t know how I am going to recover that. I will go back today and see what the situation is,” he said.

siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za

- Cape Times

Langa says sorry for looting

Cape Town - Langa residents have begged for forgiveness from

foreign shopowners in the township after their shops were looted during protests.

Community leaders have also undertaken to try to protect the shopowners in future and to include them in talks about problems in the community.

A total of 53 shops belonging to Somalis and Ethiopians were attacked and looted by residents who went on the rampage on Wednesday.

The shopowners have since refused to reopen their businesses until their safety is guaranteed.

On Sunday the Langa Joint Committee held a meeting between residents of the area, the South African Council of Churches in the Western Cape, the Somali Association of SA and shopowners.

“Our people are going hungry without you. It is hard for families who depend on your shops to get their bread. Please accept our most heartfelt apology… we are doing all we can to ensure your safety,” said Joint Committee member Fuzile Gogo.

He promised that no protests would be held before July 24, a deadline by which the city was due to respond to a memorandum.

“I’ll admit we did not do enough to ensure the protection of our brothers,” Gogo said. Although the protest had been launched by the committee, it had been hijacked by “a group of criminals” who had nothing to do with residents’ grievances.

Mustafar Haaji, chairman of the Langa Somali Association, accepted Gogo’s apology, but said the attacks on the shops had been xenophobic.

Haaji’s appliances and R7 000 in cash were stolen.

“There were South African businessmen who did not have their shops touched. It is because we are Somalis. This is not the first time and it won’t be the last.”

He often feared for his life, but he had no choice but to continue working in Langa.

Adikadir Mohamed, a member of the Somali association, said: “You have to understand, we are visitors to this country. We expect to be protected by you. We don’t know what to do or where to go. We are so lost.”

francesca.villette@inl.co.za

- Cape Times