SHARPEVILLE.- Schools are out, and from Phelandaba to Vuka, the township of Sharpeville has come to a standstill.
The community members of Sharpeville say that they are “demanding their township’s economy back”. They have stopped foreigners from operating their tuck shops and demand that they ‘pack and go’ never to be seen in the township anymore. The residents, speaking to Sedibeng Ster, said that they have had enough of foreigners operating businesses and the township while they suffer without jobs.
“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,” the residents said.
Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, police spokesperson, said that on Tuesday, the community of Sharpeville reportedly raided foreign national tuck shops and the following day, Wednesday, a local business man and his friend were shot by unknown suspects. The business man died while the friend was taken to a local hospital.
It is not known if the shooting is related to the ongoing fight and removal of 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/keepers retaliated by firing at the crowd to keep them at bay, but they were not successful as they were outnumbered.
This is a developing story.
