Malawian man fears for his life after being attacked

A MALAWIAN national is living in fear after he was allegedly attacked by locals in Mariannhill on Saturday, 25 February. The man, who asked to remain anonymous, fled his house in Desai on Saturday night after he and other foreigners were assaulted.

Fearing any means of recognition, the man even asked for the name of the business in uMhlanga Rocks, where he works to be withheld. His employer, a well-known local businesswoman, is looking for alternative accommodation in the area for the 34 year-old.

The Malawian man told the Northglen News that after being attacked on Saturday, he has not returned to his residence in Mariannhill. He said his room had been ransacked by locals.  “My friend who lives there told me they took all my stuff. There’s nothing left. Things are very tense,” he recalled.

The violence erupted at about 7:30 pm. He said he was relaxing in his house when he heard cries and shouts –  a mob of about 25 to 30 people were forcing their way into a local shop owned by Pakistanis.

“I saw the people coming, then I heard my friend call my name telling me to run. I looked out my window again and I saw the crowd coming toward my room. Then they started to throw stones at me and bang the door,” the foreign national said.

He was struck on his back. “I was lucky because the friend who warned me began screaming, pleading for me saying, ‘Please leave him, you’re going to kill him’. I had the chance to get up and run away. We went to the community policing forum and they called the police who calmed down the situation. The police told us that if we recognise anyone we must open a case against them. We didn’t have any where to go, so I called my friend who came to fetch me and I went to his place in Hillcrest. I’ve been staying with him ever since.”

The spokesperson for the Mariannhill SAPS was unavailable for comment.