'Foreigners killed in xenophobic rage'
19 March 2008, 09:17
By Graeme Hosken and Patrick Hlahla
Two foreigners were killed on Tuesday in Atteridgeville when residents in a brutal display of xenophobia, turned on immigrants in the township.
Several people were injured and scores of businesses owned by foreigners were burnt.
Somali businessman Noor Ali (25) was shot three times by gunmen "hiding" among a group of Atteridgeville and Saulsville residents marching on the township's police station.
Moments after the killing, thousands went on the rampage, attacking foreigners in Brazzaville, Saulsville, Phomolong and Vergenoeg informal settlements.
Another foreigner, believed to be Zimbabwean, was shot while trying to fend off a group of rioters. It is believed that he was also stabbed with broken bottles. He died while receiving emergency treatment.
Local residents said he had been seen stealing a bottle of beer, but his employees said he had been trying to stop a thief.
Smoke hung over Atteridgeville as groups of "immigrant hunters" ran through the informal settlements, setting businesses alight.
Gunshots could be heard along with explosions from gas cylinders and police stun-grenades thrown by law enforcers desperately trying to quell the violence and restore law and order.
Scores of local residents were seen swarming through the settlements, chasing after immigrants trying to flee the violence.
By late last night foreigners were seeking shelter at Atteridgeville police station. All had horror stories to tell.
Several described how they had to run for kilometres as groups of heavily armed locals chased them from their homes.
Mozambican Edward Tshabangu was in his grocery store when he was stabbed in the head with a bottle.
"A group came in and screamed at me to leave South Africa. They stole my groceries and when I fought back they attacked me. When I ran they stabbed me," he said.
Mozambican businessman Isaac Hlabathi said he was terrified. "They know where my family lives. They said they would kill us. I have to flee. They have burnt down my one store and are trying to burn down this store."
Asked why they wanted to burn Hlabathi's store, several local residents said he was scum. "He is a foreigner. He takes our jobs and rapes our women. He is bad like all foreigners and must leave South Africa. South Africa is for South Africans, not other Africans," said a woman.
A Somali store owner, who hid in an outside toilet with his five-year-old daughter, said: "When I heard Ali was murdered I knew that they would attack my store.
"I heard them breaking into my shop. They stole everything and burnt my shop to the ground. It is crazy. People are on the streets with petrol bombs, knives, guns. They are killing us."
The businessman spent four hours making his way to the police station, climbing over fences and hiding in gardens as his attackers went looking for him.
SA Somali Association Tshwane regional chairman Abdul Hassam, who confirmed Ali's murder, said Pretoria was a hotbed for xenophobic attacks.
"Almost every day we are hearing about attacks against our members. These attacks are not isolated. They are taking place in the city.
"It is so dangerous that we are encouraging all of our members as well as other foreigners to leave Tshwane's informal settlements and move their businesses elsewhere," he said.
Ward councillor Makopo Makola said they suspected that some residents from other informal settlements in Tshwane were behind the attacks.
"We suspect that some residents from Itireleng and Soshanguve South have influenced those in Brazzaville, Jeffsville, Phomolong and Vergenoeg to attack foreigners.
"I am urging residents in the informal settlements to desist from attacking foreigners. They must tolerate them because they are our brothers and sisters."
Police spokesperson Captain Thomas Mufamadi confirmed the murders.
Cases of murder, public violence, housebreaking and theft were being investigated.
He said no arrests had been made.
"At this stage it is difficult to say whether Ali's murder is linked to the xenophobic attacks. More investigations still have to be conducted," he said.
Mufamadi said: "There are foreigners camping outside the police station after fleeing to us with their belongings such as fridges and stoves. Others have gone to shelters elsewhere in the area."
Two foreigners were killed on Tuesday in Atteridgeville when residents in a brutal display of xenophobia, turned on immigrants in the township.
Several people were injured and scores of businesses owned by foreigners were burnt.
Somali businessman Noor Ali (25) was shot three times by gunmen "hiding" among a group of Atteridgeville and Saulsville residents marching on the township's police station.
Moments after the killing, thousands went on the rampage, attacking foreigners in Brazzaville, Saulsville, Phomolong and Vergenoeg informal settlements.
Another foreigner, believed to be Zimbabwean, was shot while trying to fend off a group of rioters. It is believed that he was also stabbed with broken bottles. He died while receiving emergency treatment.
Local residents said he had been seen stealing a bottle of beer, but his employees said he had been trying to stop a thief.
Smoke hung over Atteridgeville as groups of "immigrant hunters" ran through the informal settlements, setting businesses alight.
Gunshots could be heard along with explosions from gas cylinders and police stun-grenades thrown by law enforcers desperately trying to quell the violence and restore law and order.
Scores of local residents were seen swarming through the settlements, chasing after immigrants trying to flee the violence.
By late last night foreigners were seeking shelter at Atteridgeville police station. All had horror stories to tell.
Several described how they had to run for kilometres as groups of heavily armed locals chased them from their homes.
Mozambican Edward Tshabangu was in his grocery store when he was stabbed in the head with a bottle.
"A group came in and screamed at me to leave South Africa. They stole my groceries and when I fought back they attacked me. When I ran they stabbed me," he said.
Mozambican businessman Isaac Hlabathi said he was terrified. "They know where my family lives. They said they would kill us. I have to flee. They have burnt down my one store and are trying to burn down this store."
Asked why they wanted to burn Hlabathi's store, several local residents said he was scum. "He is a foreigner. He takes our jobs and rapes our women. He is bad like all foreigners and must leave South Africa. South Africa is for South Africans, not other Africans," said a woman.
A Somali store owner, who hid in an outside toilet with his five-year-old daughter, said: "When I heard Ali was murdered I knew that they would attack my store.
"I heard them breaking into my shop. They stole everything and burnt my shop to the ground. It is crazy. People are on the streets with petrol bombs, knives, guns. They are killing us."
The businessman spent four hours making his way to the police station, climbing over fences and hiding in gardens as his attackers went looking for him.
SA Somali Association Tshwane regional chairman Abdul Hassam, who confirmed Ali's murder, said Pretoria was a hotbed for xenophobic attacks.
"Almost every day we are hearing about attacks against our members. These attacks are not isolated. They are taking place in the city.
"It is so dangerous that we are encouraging all of our members as well as other foreigners to leave Tshwane's informal settlements and move their businesses elsewhere," he said.
Ward councillor Makopo Makola said they suspected that some residents from other informal settlements in Tshwane were behind the attacks.
"We suspect that some residents from Itireleng and Soshanguve South have influenced those in Brazzaville, Jeffsville, Phomolong and Vergenoeg to attack foreigners.
"I am urging residents in the informal settlements to desist from attacking foreigners. They must tolerate them because they are our brothers and sisters."
Police spokesperson Captain Thomas Mufamadi confirmed the murders.
Cases of murder, public violence, housebreaking and theft were being investigated.
He said no arrests had been made.
"At this stage it is difficult to say whether Ali's murder is linked to the xenophobic attacks. More investigations still have to be conducted," he said.
Mufamadi said: "There are foreigners camping outside the police station after fleeing to us with their belongings such as fridges and stoves. Others have gone to shelters elsewhere in the area."
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Pretoria News on March 19, 2008
Pretoria
