Refugees feel the wrath of lootings
Foreign-owned shops were looted by protesters in Mabopane Block R, during the violent protests that erupted in Tshwane last week.
Foreign-owned shops were most affected by the looting during last week’s protest action in and around Pretoria.
Protests hit the area last week with the announcement that Thoko Didiza would be the ANC’s mayoral candidate in the upcoming elections.
The violence took place at the same time Refugee Day was celebrated internationally, on 20 June.
Ahead of Refugee Day, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, started the #WithRefugee petition to send a message of action, solidarity, and responsibility on behalf of refugees to governments worldwide.
During the protests, Bangladeshi refugees Sala Uddin (31) and Ashan Ullah’s (53) shop in Mabopane Block R was looted by an angry mob of local residents.
Both Uddin and Ullah have been in the country for more than five years.
The two expressed their anger over the traumatic experience.
They told Rekord they did not expect this kind of betrayal from people who they regarded as neighbours.
“They (protesters) came in and started to assault us while others took our stock,” said Uddin.
Uddin said the stock in their shop that was taken was worth more than R20 000.
“The looters took freezers, airtime machines and stoves. Our shop was full of groceries, now we are left with nothing.”
Uddin added he recognised most of the people who looted his shop.
He said they were locals who lived in the area.
“I tried calling the police several times but they did not come.”
Most of the foreign-owned shops in Mabopane, Soshanguve and Ga-Rankuwa were looted and have not been doing business since the violence.
Also read:
Man shot and wounded during looting
Cops accused of looting in Mabopane
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