Somalis face inhuman treatment in South Africa

ACDP backs call to shut down Somali stores
September 08 2008 at 12:27PM
By Leila SamodienThe ACDP in the Western Cape has come out in support of Khayelitsha shopkeepers who are demanding that their Somali counterparts shut up shop in the township.

Tensions between the two groups continued to run high on Sunday, sparking fears that the showdown could incite more outbreaks of xenophobic violence in the township.The ACDP's Western Cape chairperson, Mzuvukile Nikelo, told the Somalis: "You are killing us."You're talking about the number of people killed because of the xenophobic attacks, but not of our people who are dying of hunger because of your businesses."But the Somalis vow that they will not heed the demand. "If they must kill us, then they must kill us," a community leader said.
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Somali shopkeepers received letters from the Zanokhanyo Retailers' Association, demanding that they close down their businesses by this Sunday.The two parties met on Sunday in a bid to find a solution, but made no definite decisions.The retailers' association, part of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc), refused to back down on its stance.Nafcoc's provincial arm strongly supported the circulation of the letter.

Its vice-president, Zakuthini Ndnetyana, said local shop owners could not survive because Somalis were constantly undercutting their prices, leaving them unable to compete.In heated debate, a Somali leader in the Khayelitsha community, Bashir Mahmed Abdi, said they had no choice but to open shops because, as refugees, they would not simply be handed jobs."Our only way to survive is to create our own livelihoods," he said.Speaking after the meeting, Mandisi Njoli, general secretary of Nafcoc in Khayelitsha, said another meeting would be called soon, once the Somali leaders had reported back to their people.But in the meantime, the closure deadline stood.Abdi said the Somalis, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, would not be willing to shut down their businesses.
"If they must kill us, then they must kill us, but we will not close our shops," he said.Njoli was unwilling to disclose the consequences the retailers planned for those who refused to meet their demand."We will cross that bridge when we get to it. We will take a decision on what is to be done based on the events and discussions," said Njoli.He and Ndnetyana believed Somalis should be allowed to trade, but under controls, so that the businesses owned by locals were not stunted.Abdi said the government had to intervene to prevent further clashes.

"We are not going to close our shops until the government and the police give us notice (to do so)."Somali shopkeeper Mowlid Muhamad said: "I will not run away from here, I will sell here until I die."The City of Cape Town and the provincial government issued a statement late on Friday warning that the association's threats were illegal.

They confirmed that they had heard of similar, unconfirmed threats in Du Noon, Kraaifontein and Grabouw.Police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Billy Jones said they would not be deploying additional officers to Khayelitsha because of the latest developments."We are aware of the threats and our members there have been briefed, but we will not distinguish any special treatment of certain groups; we will remain consistent in our policing," he said.

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