Tuesday April 30, 2019
Xenophobic violence, the aftermath of an illegal land invasion in Lwandle and Nomzamo townships near Strand, has seen Somali shop owners fleeing for the lives.
One of the them, Muse Mohamud Ahmed, who owns the Half Price Cash Store, said he feared for his life after his shop was broken into and torched while he was inside.
Describing the day his shop caught fire, Ahmed said he was sleeping and heard loud noises caused by people breaking into his shop from the roof and some from the door.
“I quickly jumped out of the window from the back of my shop, and ran away.”
Another shop owner, Hussin Abdi, said the burning of their shops was not xenophobic.