20 February 2015 R1-20/FREE
Foreign-owned shops looted in
Phagameng An Ethiopian shopkeeper stood in his plundered store. Photo: Charl Diener
The police arrived after most of the vandals had fled. Photo: Charl Diener
Charl Diener Residents of Phagameng are tense after a wave of xenophobic attacks on shops owned by foreigners hit the town. A group of residents flooded the streets of the town on February 17 at around 10:00 in the morning in order to rob and smash shops owned by, among others, Ethopians. Mohamed Takiye told The Beat he received an emotional phone call from a friend whose shop had been destroyed. Thanks to this warning, he could lock his store and flee in time. In an interview with the owner of the vandalized store, the man told The BEAT that a handful of armed youths stormed his shop, followed by a large group of school children who broke down the door and stole the wares off the shelves. “The destruction was complete before I knew what was happening. They took everything,” the man said. “Look at the empty shelves.” Takiya told The BEAT that he had been completely taken by surprise by these
attacks. “We have a good relationship with the local community, but there are people who just don’t care. They don’t think about the future. How will my customers buy food now?” Takiye feels that this unnecessary and self-destructive behaviour may cause foreign store owners to pack up their shops and not return to an area which has established itself as being unfriendly and unsafe. “Residents will have to pay taxi or bus money to go and buy groceries like bread and milk. Shopkeepers, clients, the community … everyone loses.” Police spokesperson Warrant Officer James Findlay confirmed that the mob targeted foreign shop owners. Findlay suspects that the attackers quickly gather in a large group, overwhelms the shop assistant or owner, and empties the store before bolting in all directions. “In this fashion, they move rapidly from extension to extension and from shop to shop. Fortunately, no serious violence or injuries have been reported so far.” The police had arrested one person for
possession of stolen property. Findlay told reporters that the situation was under control and that the attacks would hopefully not increase. Police were forced to attempt to restore law and order in Soweto earlier in the year during similar incidents. A Somalian shop owner caused dismay when he shot and killed a fourteen-yearold boy when the shop owner was forced to confront a mob of looters on his own. South African authorities denied allegations that these attacks are caused by xenophobia, and the government has been remarkably silent about the violence. President Jacob Zuma was accused, after the 2014 State of the Nation Address, of encouraging violence against foreigners by encouraging the
limitation of land ownership. During Zuma’s speech on Thursday, 12 February he made no mention of the looting and unrest, but he did mention plans to limit foreigners to long-term leases instead of ownership. An anonymous resident of Phagameng told The BEAT that the community enjoys the convenience of the foreigners’ shops so close to their homes. They made up special food parcels for children and also sold some stationery. “The foreigners employ locals and pay better than local employers. The excuse that they are being attacked because they are dominating the economy is unacceptable. I worry that children are taking part in these attacks while their parents share in the loot,” the resident said.