Raid at China City
Shop tenants of China City are up in arms after a raid by police and home affairs officials on Friday that they claim infringed on their human rights.
POLOKWANE – Shop tenants of China City are up in arms after a raid by police and home affairs officials on Friday that they claim infringed on their human rights.
According to Polokwane police spokesperson, WO Lesiba Ramoshaba, the raid was made after police received a tip-off that counterfeit goods, including clothes and toys, were being sold at the centre.
He said besides confiscating suspected counterfeit goods from three of the 40 stores, three people were arrested on suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
Centre manager, Henry Cheu, several tenants and customers complained during and after the raid about the manner in which the operation was conducted.
They said neither the police nor home affairs officials had identified themselves to the centre’s management prior to the raid.
A shop owner complained that his identity document had been confiscated. No inventory was made of the goods confiscated at his shop and shopowners were not given a list of goods confiscated.
Several tenants could not speak English but no attempt was made to communicate with them in languages they could understand.
Cheu said he and the tenants felt that their rights were ignored.
“We were harassed by officials who treated us like criminals; we were never given a chance to explain our side of the matter.”
“Only three of the 40 stores contained alleged counterfeit goods, which goes to show that the centre is mostly above board. The name China City is associated with items that are sold cheaply, but this does not mean the items are counterfeit,” Cheu said.
He said he would seek legal advice on the matter and take the necessary legal steps as advised. He also intended to submit official complaints to the police and the department of home affairs, he said.
Home affairs general manager, Flora Motitsi, said the matter would be investigated as soon as a formal complaint had been lodged.
Provincial police spokesperson Col Ronél Otto said she was not aware that any complaints had surfaced over the procedures followed during the raid. She said she would investigate the matter to ascertain whether any laws had been broken.
