Profit orientated or steeling jobs

Customers shopping at a Foreign owned shop

Taking jobs or just profit orientated!

In the recent months we have seen so many reports on the xenophobic attacks happening in some parts of the country.  In most case the victims are either Palestinians or Somalia’s. There are other foreign nationals in the country apart from them, why are they the main target.

Salvador Matsombe a Mozambiquen National believes that one of the main reasons Somalis and Palestinians are always the targets could be because they are withdrawn from society. Being Part of the society in this case being involved, attending community meeting, funerals, be part of society. Salvador emphasised the fact that he is strongly against the use of violence.

Not all South African citizens are for the idea of attacking foreign nationals, when the attacks started the government was worried about Khotsong, following the long strike about them being part of north west but they assured the government that they had nothing to worry about and up to date there have not been any reports of Xenophobic attacks in the area.

Ntsako Mashaba is against xenophobic attacks and does not want any foreign nationals deported or sent back because he says they make life easier since they sell cheaper products compared to those of South African Shops “ as long as their businesses are legit and there is nothing illegal they are doing then they can stay” said Mashaba

In 2008 we saw incidents where foreign nationals were burned alive and most of them took their belongings and hit the road back home in fear of their lives, unfortunately up to date there are still attacks and looting of foreign nationals. Since South Africans Claim that these foreigners are taking their opportunities. Bernado Nilton seems to disagree with these allegations. Somalis are Palestinians in particular are people with entrepreneurial skills and they are profit motivated above all they are risk takers “ these people do not mind going to a township and starting their small business their regardless of the risks that come with that,” said Milton.

Dakafa is a Somali national who owns a shop at winterfeld he says that he is not taking anyone’s opportunity because when he opened the shop there was no one who was occupying the place. We live in fear because we are threatened all the time. He also mentioned that whenever residents face problems with the water supply, or load shading they attack us “we are not the municipality, we are just trying to make a living,” said Dafaka