Government has condemned widespread looting in Soweto which led to the deaths of two people on Wednesday. Acting GCIS Director-General Phumla Williams has called on communities to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
This comes after a looting spree of foreign owned shops in Soweto where two people were murdered and one person whisked to hospital after being stabbed multiple times.
It’s believed that the community went on the rampage accusing foreign shop owners of selling expired food.
Government says community members should rather report such cases to law enforcement agencies.
The looting happened after a teenager was shot dead earlier today, allegedly by a foreign shop owner.
Angry residents have also blocked off several roads in the area and police are trying to move the shop owners out of the township.
A number of shops in Soweto are owned by foreign nationals including Somalis, Ethiopians, Pakistani and Bangladeshis.
In recent years, Zimbabwean and Mozambican migrants have also been the target of attacks.
See tweet below:
There’s looting in White City, Soweto… pic.twitter.com/KjF1NECnzV
— Mzwesh #No.1Hustler (@mzwakhengwee) August 29, 2018
Currently in Soweto Dobsonville people are closing all the Somalians shops eish it’s so painful. They are taking everything. pic.twitter.com/EzktMWB1Hi
— #MasiloRedDevils?? ?? (@MasiloWarren) August 29, 2018
Additional reporting by Reuters
