“We want our economy back”: Sharpeville residents

SHARPEVILLE. – Schools are out and from Phelandaba to Vuka Sections the township of Sharpeville has come to a standstill.

The community of Sharpeville is “demanding their township’s economy back”. They have stopped foreigners from operating their shops and demand that they “pack and go” never to be seen in the township again. The residents, speaking to Sedibeng Ster, said they have had enough of foreigners operating businesses in the township while they suffer.

They also said they do not want their township to be counted amongst those townships where children have been poisoned by expired goods that were allegedly bought from illegal foreigners’ stores.

The resistance started on Monday when there was supposed to be a meeting between police, foreigners, and the community. The meeting was not fruitful and was postponed to yesterday (Wednesday) but it did not take place as the community stood their ground and wanted the foreigners out of the township. The foreigners’ stores remained open with a threat that they would be looted should they open.

“The most important thing is that we want our economy back. We want the black townships’ economy back. They should go back to where they come from, the money that we give to them does nothing for us as, they take it back to their countries. They are killing us through expired food and they are also killing our economy.”

On Wednesday night the foreigners allegedly came into the township armed with pangas and guns threatening anyone who threatened their businesses. Shots were fired and three people were allegedly shot, one of them being a local business owner, Tebello Papi Mokhema.

EFF Sedibeng condemn the killing of Mokhema and called him a business activist at the forefront of reclaiming the local economy through spaza shops (tuck shops).

“The community has the right to demonstrate, and this right should not be violated. As an organization that stands with the people, we have also observed a disturbing rise in killings perpetrated against those advocating for the township economy in Sedibeng. We are calling on local law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant, especially around Tshepiso and Seiso Streets in Sharpeville. We also demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice.”

Mokhemas’ s landlord at one of his businesses, Emily Mokone is devastated by his death. She told Sedibeng Ster that they heard what sounded like a sound of firecrackers at around 21:00, the time Mokhema closed his business. Later they realised that Mokhema had been shot and killed by what eyewitnesses described as three young men who later fled the scene.

“I always warned him to look out for himself, I loved him so much………Aoooooo Papi. I took him as my son, he was everything to me,” Mokone said tearfully.

Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, police spokesperson, said that on Tuesday, the community of Sharpeville reportedly raided foreign national tuck-shops. The following day a local businessman and his friend were shot by unknown suspects. The businessman died while the friend was taken to a local hospital.

It is not known if the shooting (of the businessman) is related to the fight between local and foreign tuck-shop owners.

Today, Thursday, the community has gone out to loot the foreign national’s stores, keeping to their demand of removing them from the township. At some stores, the foreign shop owners retaliated by firing at the crowd but they were not successful as they were outnumbered.

“The Public Order Policing together with Crime Prevention units has since been monitoring the tense but calm situation. During their patrols yesterday they arrested a foreign national for being in possession of a firearm,” Colonel Nevhuhulwi said, and added that the teams will continue to be on the ground and monitor the situation.