Foreigners are forced to leave

KANYAMAZANE – In a dramatic turn of events, members of this community plans to take over businesses previously owned by foreign nationals (Somalians and Pakistanis).

This emerged last week after community members took to the streets demanding that foreign nationals leave the area. This newspaper first learnt of the community’s intention from concerned residents and again at a community meeting on Sunday.

Although the community was divided about this move, indications were that some people had already decided not to welcome back the foreign nationals, but rather to occupy those premises.

“These people are destroying our country and our economy. They do business here, but they don’t bank and they don’t even employ locals. So we have taken a decision to take all these businesses for ourselves,” said a community member who was visibly drunk and even swore at a female police officer. During the protest and looting incident, the Mbombela Local Municipality’s councillors, Messrs Bheki Zulu, Busi Mdluli and Ndaba Motubatse tried to reason with those who had barricaded the main road, but to no avail.

The Mbombela executive mayor,

Cllr Cathy Dlamini who once again appealed for peace, said they did not have any problems with local people wanting to start their own businesses, but residents should not fight with foreign nationals just because they want to take over their businesses.

“Our government actually equips our people with skills to start their own sustainable businesses.

“There is no point in chasing the foreigners away just because we want their businesses when we can start our own with the help of our government. So, we would like once to again call for peace and let us allow them to come back and live among us.”

She said they would engage with them also to consider hiring and transferring skills to local people.

In areas such as Tekwane South, KaNyamazane and some parts of Pienaar, the foreign nationals have started to return, while they were left in peace at KaBokweni.