Foreign-owned shops looted in Sharpeville after local shop owner shot dead

Hundreds of Sharpeville residents looted shops belonging to foreign nationals on Thursday after a local shop owner was shot dead on Wednesday evening. 

News24 observed large groups of people, including pupils, looting several shops and breaking down shop doors and burglar bars. A police helicopter has been hovering over the area.

Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said on Thursday that the area was tense since Tuesday. She said: “The community members looted foreign-[owned] tuckshops and on 16 October , a local businessman was fatally shot while his employee sustained a gunshot wound. The suspects are unknown at this stage.”

Sharpeville residents, including some pupils, have looted foreign-owned shops in Sharpeville. This after a local shop owner was shot dead on Wednesday evening. The looting occurred in full view of the police. Hundreds of Sharpeville residents looted shops belonging to foreign nationals on Thursday after a local shop owner was shot dead on Wednesday evening.

“Community members also burnt the stock. Public Order Policing officers and Crime Prevention Units are monitoring the situation. During their patrols, they arrested three foreign nationals who were found in possession of unlicensed firearms,” the spokesperson added.

Tshidi Majoe watched as a shop in her backyard, which she leases to a Pakistani national, was looted.”They claimed they don’t want foreigners in our area, yet they steal their food. Some grocery items were thrown into the streets and set alight. Other residents fled with snacks, soft drinks, bags of mealie meal, powdered soap, and cigarettes. My only form of income. What has happened has happened. There is nothing I can do, but they have taken away my livelihood,” Majoe said.

Her sole income was the R2 000 monthly rental she collected from her tenant. She said: “The shop owner was cooperative and has never given me a single problem.”

She added: With his rental money, I was able to feed my two children and pay for my funeral policies. Today, Sharpeville residents don’t want all foreigners in the area. They claimed they don’t want foreigners in our area, yet they steal their food. What happened in my yard is looting.”

“I asked if they were going to give me my rental money. They didn’t respond. I am speechless. This is wrong. They should have done this thing in a civilised manner. I am willing to take my tenant back,” Majoe said.

Debris littered the streets as residents went from shop to shop. Most of the looting occurred despite a strong police presence, and residents appeared undeterred by the rubber bullets and stun grenades police fired. Community leader Jacob Matlaletsa said the community was angry about the growing number of foreign-owned shops. Their anger was fuelled by the murder of popular SA shop owner Papi Mokhema, who lived in the area, on Wednesday.

Matlaletsa alleged that Mokhema was murdered by foreign nationals who own spaza shops.”Since 2013, we have been engaging with foreign nationals about the escalating number of shops in Sharpeville. On Saturday, we met with foreigners. We ordered them to close their shops, ” he said.

“We have 236 shops owned by foreign nationals while only a few shops are owned by locals. We then decided to close their shops today. We don’t condone the looting of shops. We are shocked to see pupils in school uniform joining us and looting shops,” Matlaletsa said, pointing out that looting is a crime.

Story credit: News24