Somalis fearful of neighbours

TERRIFIED Somalis who had to flee their shops in the townships this week could not believe that people they thought were their neighbours could turn on them so easily.

Some of them did not even know why they were being targeted.

The Somalis said the past four days had left them with no hope after they experienced hatred from their fellow Africans.

"The lack of protection from the South African government is also disappointing.

"We heard that a Somali tuckshop owner in New Brighton shot a South African boy, but now all the Somali tuckshop owners in New Brighton, Njoli, Kwazakhele, Motherwell, Missionvale and Swartkops have turned into victims.

"This is a criminal act and these people are against Somalis. This is an opportunity to rob us. We had to close our shops at the Motherwell complex because a group of community members wanted to take our stock. We managed to close the shops but we don't know for how long," Faisal Ahmed, 29, said. He runs a sweet shop at the Motherwell Shopping Centre.