The teenager – who was living just outside Randfontein in Kagiso – and who was shot dead by a foreign business owner after stealing from his shop this past week has triggered a looting spree in the Soweto area.
Since the teenager’s death people in Soweto have been looting shops owned by foreign nationals and have caused foreign nationals to flee the area. The violence and looting has now spread to Braamfischerville, Dobsonville, Emdeni, Zola and Protea Glen.
The ANC Gauteng states that it strongly condemns the looting of shops owned by both foreign nationals and South Africans in parts of Soweto and other areas.
“We commend the many locals who have actively assisted affected shop owners from suffering more losses of their goods,” Mzi Elias Khumalo from the communications unit for the ANC West Rand said.
According to Khumalo, “Many of the shops looted are owned by South Africans and rented out mainly to foreign nationals who have co-existed peacefully in the communities where they trade.”
The ANC calls on government, community leaders, ANC branches and society as a whole to assist the police in maintaining order.
“We should not allow criminal elements to destabilise our communities and stop legitimate business people, including foreign nationals from conducting their business,” Khumalo said.
Khumalo urges the police to act without fear or favour in tackling all the criminal elements involved.
“We call on them to investigate and arrest those who possess illegal firearms and fake identity documents,” he said.
The ANC commends the decisive leadership of the South African Police Services thus far in arresting those who have attempted to destabilise these communities.
