Xenophobic attacks: Residents demanded documentation from foreign nationals

Foreign-owned shop owners in Jerusalem informal settlement and Witfield were under siege in the early hours of September 2 as residents went on a looting spree.

The entrance to Jerusalem informal settlement along Main Reef Road was closed owing to the protest action.

EMPD and police officers had to redirect motorists to other alternatives routes.

According to one of the community leaders in Jerusalem, Mondli Mathebula, foreign shop owners around the area were allegedly selling drugs and toxic pills to their children and residents.

“The community felt that they had to do something. That’s when they started attacking them to send a message across that they didn’t like what they were doing,” said Mathebula.

“The initial plan in the beginning was to get the message across to foreign shop owners, but things got out of hand on Sunday evening when they attacked other foreigners living in the area.”

Mathebula said residents were banging and kicking the doors of shacks belonging to foreign nationals, demanding documentation on September 1.

“Residents requested documents to check if they were in the country legally. If they had no documents they were attacked.

“I was also attacked when I tried to intervene, reminding them that the whole protest was to raise their grievances against foreign shop owners who are allegedly selling drugs,” Mathebula said.

When the Advertiser tried to speak with residents to hear their side of the story, they became violent and chased reporters out of the area.

Affected shop owners in Witfield

When the Advertiser arrived in Witfield, about four shops were damaged and owners of looted shops were busy fixing the damage to their properties.

Naeem Ismael, who owns Desai Hardware, said the attack has affected their business.

“We are closed for the day because we are still scared that they might come back,” Ismael said.

Another shop owner, Champ Harkrson, said the attack has inconvenienced the operation of their business and resulted in financial loss.

Affected foreign residents

With just bags full of clothes, a group of foreign nationals fled from their homes in Jerusalem informal settlement to seek refuge around Witfield Spar.

Babies were among the group of about 100 foreign men and women who had slept on the streets near the Witfield Spar since Sunday evening.

According to Andre Muhate, they were chased away from their homes at around 6pm on September 1.

“My brother and I managed to take our passports and other documents, as well as a bag that had our clothes in it.

“All our furniture and other belongings are still in there. We really don’t know what causes people to act like this because we didn’t commit any crime against any person. We hope everything returns to normal so we can go back home.”

Another displaced resident, Anthony Matimbe from Maputo, said he had to go to the clinic after being hit on the head by a glass bottle.

“I heard rumours on August 30 that residents would attack foreign nationals but I didn’t believe it. I’ve been living here in South Africa for the past four years, so I didn’t think that we would be attacked because they’ve been nice to us all along.”

Anita Chiere, who had a salon in Jerusalem, said her salon was burnt with stock inside.

“My husband and I couldn’t even save anything. We just ran for our lives to the nearest safe place,” Chiere said.

Malawi resident Kingsing Rabeya pleaded with local shelters to take them in until calm is restored where they live.