VIDEO: ‘We are being discriminated against in Soweto’ – Ethiopian shopkeepers
We are African brothers: Masebo.
Ethiopian foreign nationals’ shops in Dobsonville remain closed after they were looted by Soweto residents due to a shooting incident in White City, Jabavu on August 29.
Closure of shops being run or owned by foreign nationals has affected owners financially. They have been left in a dire state as they battle to keep up with their obligation to pay monthly rentals to their respective landlords.
It is because of these hardships that Ethiopian foreign nationals held a meeting with two local councillors from Ward 47 Teboho Mhlari and Ward 48 Tshepo Nawane at Kopanong Community Centre last Friday in Dobsonville.
“There are over 35 foreign owned shops operating in Dobsonville alone that were closed down after the looting incidents back in August.
“We held a meeting with both councillors to find out when we are supposed to start opening our shops. It is regrettable that we got an undesirable outcome as the answer we received is that our shops will remain closed for a while until further notice,” said shopkeeper Lemlem Doliso.
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He said their objective is to reopen the shops and mend broken relationships with their local clients once more.
“During a looting incident, local residents helped me to pack my staff inside my bakkie. We warn our fellow foreign nationals trading in Soweto to refrain from shooting people like it happened in Jabavu.
“It is high time that foreign nationals start playing an active role in the community because we are part of this community,” said Doliso.
Another Ethiopian shop owner Asalitew Masebo said, “It is time that foreign nationals organised a public meeting with South African tuck shop owners and the community at large to reach an everlasting solution.
“It is untrue that all foreign nationals are not paying taxes and do not own bank accounts. I personally have a bank account because I have Refuge Identity Card from this country.
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“I also pay Value Added Tax (VAT) when I purchase my stock on a regular basis like all South Africans. However, there are foreign nationals without bank accounts because the Department of Home Affairs denies them the Refuge Identity Document.
“That makes it impossible for them to open banking accounts. We must stop black on black violence because we are all Africans. Most of the foreign nationals operating in Dobsonville are from Ethiopia.
“We are the proud sons of the great king Haile Selassie. Our emperor Selassie welcomed Nelson Mandela in Ethiopia during the struggle against apartheid,” said Masebo.
Ward 48 councillor Tshepo Nawane, said they have established a committee consisting of residents, landowners, local shop owners and foreign nationals shop owners.
“The new committee will be instrumental in helping out all parties involved to resolve their differences in peace. We agreed that the committee will inspect goods of foreign nationals’ shops operating in the area and determine either they are compliant or non-compliant.
- VIDEO: 3 dead and 27 arrested following looting incidents in Soweto – [related content]
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