VIDEO: Destroyed homes leave dozens destitute in Marabastad
The group of victims left homeless by the attacks include 40 children, 23 women and 106 men, of whom three are blind and some cannot walk.
Xenophobic violence flared in the Pretoria CBD this week, as rioters fire-bombed several shacks in an area inhabited by foreign nationals.
About 169 people were left destitute when 20 shacks were destroyed in Marabastad on Monday.
The group of victims left homeless by the attacks include 40 children, 23 women and 106 men, of whom three are blind and some cannot walk.
The attackers were alleged to be taxi operators angry at foreign nationals in Boom Street, whom they accuse of using nyaope and supporting drug dealers.
“We did not know that they would attack us,” said Joyce Sithole who lived at the camp with her sister and a one-year-old disabled baby.
Residents in the area were mostly Zimbabweans who make a living begging, working at hair salons and collecting recyclable material to sell for an income, she said.
Sithole said their attackers appeared “out of nowhere” at their homes, kicking down their doors.
As she fled her home, Sithole said she noticed a woman who was directing the protesters to burn the neighbourhood.
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“I asked the woman why she was doing this as there were children here and she told me to ‘f**k off’,” Sithole recalled.
She said the shack dwellers lost all their groceries, clothes, identity documents and money they wanted to send to their loved ones back home.
“The children cannot go to school now because their school uniforms and books have been burnt.”
Sithole said as foreigners living at that squatter camp, they had come to South Africa to work and not to commit any crimes.
“We understand we are foreigners; however, we are not drug smokers or dealers. We do not smoke or sell nyoape.
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“A person dealing in drugs would not be as poor as we are and living in conditions such as these. We are staying here because we do not have much,” she said.
Sithole said she understood that the taxi drivers were fighting with drug dealers, however, innocent foreigners were being attacked and being left to suffer even further.
“We are hustlers, yes, but not hustlers for drugs.”
She thanked the Tshwane metro police and Central police for safeguarding them after the attack.
“They checked on us and stayed with us throughout the night because the attackers said they would attack the community again.”
Lettie Chivhunga, who also lived at the destroyed shacks, said the problem was that taxi drivers were fighting “innocent people”.
She said the community did not know much about the alleged drug peddlers.
“They [rioters] have destroyed our homes, yet drug peddlers remain safe in their mansions.”
Chivhunga said innocent children, mothers and fathers “faced enough horrors” and that the attackers had made their lives worse.
Tshwane emergency services spokesperson Charles Mabaso said a child suffered smoke inhalation during the attack.
The child’s parents, however, refused that he be taken to hospital.
Mabaso said ambulances could not reach the child because of rioters blocking the road and throwing stones at them.
“This is not a war,” said taxi driver Brian Phuthela on Tuesday. “However, we do have a problem with these Nigerians selling drugs in our country.”
Phuthela claimed police were failing to address the issue of drugs in the city because drug peddlers bribed them.
“Now we have a crisis that a fellow taxi driver was killed.”
He alleged that drivers had witnessed police taking bribes in the CBD area on several occasions.
“We see them. After all, we are there 24/7,” he said.
“We have also seen police get beaten by these drug peddlers.
“Police can no longer battle these people,” Phuthela said.
“We want to only destroy alleged drug suppliers and we know exactly who we are looking for.”
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Santaco Tshwane regional spokesperson Mack Makata said the taxi associations had agreed with Gauteng public transport and roads infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo to let police handle the drug problem in the CBD.
He said “opportunists” looted shops and committed crimes in the name of their protest.
“Until we hear from the police again, we are urging drivers to continue taking people from point A to point B.”
He said this was the drivers’ primary duty and they had to allow police to do their work.
“We are still sad that we have lost our own through the barrel of the gun, however, we must not lose focus.”
Councillor Juanita du Plooy said relief efforts were being made for the victims of the shack fires.
“Church leaders, NGOs, volunteers and the city are meeting daily to co-ordinate donations and the relief effort,” Du Plooy said.
She said the metro was reaching out to all residents, businesses and charity organisations to help with any food donations as well as blankets, clothing, water and general everyday items such as soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
The following areas can be used as drop-off points where items can be delivered:
- Arcadia Village: 802 Pretorius Street, Pretoria (main drop-off point)
- Harlequins Rugby Club: 56 Totius Street, Groenkloof, Pretoria
- Grootte Kerk, corner Bosman and Madiba streets, 173 Bosman – Hopeline
- NG Kerk Riviera/Jakaranda – corner Blake and Rose streets, Riviera
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