Residents discuss looting chaos
Most residents against foreign nationals trading in Orlando.
Residents gathered at White Church in Orlando East last Thursday to discuss the looting outrage which spread all over Soweto three weeks ago.
The meeting was chaired by ward 31 councillor Bongani Dlamini.
Residents voiced out their views on the matter.
Most residents said that they don’t want foreign national spaza shop owners to come back and do business in Orlando.
Some expressed that if the foreign national shop owners do come back there should be some regulations in place that government must implement in order to make sure that South African shop owners are not taken out of business.
Dlamini told residents that in order to rent out their home to run as a business one must follow certain procedures.
“You need to have a permit in order to run a business from your home. Residents who are renting their homes to foreign nationals for business must make sure that they follow the correct procedures,” said Dlamini.
One concerned resident said that she is afraid that if what happened three weeks ago happens again, this time the foreign national spaza shop owners will be more prepared and may retaliate.
“This time they will fight back, they will have guns and shoot our children,” said a resident.
Dlamini said he was disappointed to see old mamas stealing and running off from the foreign nationals shops.
“What lessons are we teaching our children if we the elderly are taking what is not ours,” said Dlamini.
