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CPF on ‘high alert’ after attacks on Somalis VERNA VAN DIEMEN
T
HE Mitchell’s Plain Community Policing Forum is keeping a close eye on Tafelsig, following a recent spate of attacks on Somali shopkeepers. One Somali national was killed and his worker wounded. Another Somali had a gun pointed at him. And finally, a shop was looted. Reeva Fortune, public relations officer for the Mitchell’s Plain CPF, says they have been warning shopkeepers to close their shops earlier and switch off the lights. But a leader of the Somali community in Mitchell’s Plain says the incidents are isolated and not xenophobia-related. Fortune says that early in March, a shop was looted in Vancouver Road in Hyde Park, Tafelsig. “I am not sure about the details, but when we got there a whole lot of people were carrying things out of the shop. We advised the foreign owner to close his shop,” she says. This incident has put the CPF on high alert. “We are worried. Many of the foreigners keep their shops open until so late. This makes them more vulnerable,” she says. Aghmat Osman (20) was buried two weeks ago after he was shot in the stomach and killed during a business robbery in Sharon Street, Tafelsig on Monday 21 March at 21:25. His assistant, known only as Ali, was also shot in the arm during the
attack. He was taken to GF Jooste Hospital and later released. Cape Flats Somali Community chairperson, Abdulkadir Karakoos, says the robbers took about R2 000 in cash, plus cigarettes and airtime. Mitchell’s Plain Police spokesperson, Constable Jerome Voegt, said: “Upon arrival, police found a Somali national who had been fatally wounded in his stomach, lying in the tuckshop.” Just over a week later, on Wednesday 30 March, another Somali had a gun pointed at him while he was inside his tuckshop in Tafelsig. A neighbourhood watch member, who did not want to be named, says the shopkeeper called her between 20:00 and 21:00 to complain that a few boys in the area were throwing stones at his container. The watch member immediately called the police for help. But the Somali called her three more times after that to say the boys would not stop harassing him. Then at 22:30, the foreigner called her again to say that a man was pointing a gun at him. “He was frantic. He said that the police had still not come to his shop and now there was someone pointing a gun at him,” she says. His phone was switched off and when the watch member tried to call him
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back, his phone was on voicemail. “I called the police and left it as is,” she says. The watch member says that when she heard no news of a shooting the next day, she assumed that he was safe. “No one was hurt and it was not a robbery. “I think that the men were just trying to get on his nerves or something,” she says. When People’s Post called the shopkeeper, he denied that he had any such incident at his shop. “No it’s not me. I was in Bellville. There are many people with my name,” he said. The watch member said that it was indeed his number that came up on the cellphone and that she suspected he was afraid to speak. Police could not confirm the incident. Voegt said: “I have checked and there was no such case opened up.” Karakoos maintains the latest spate of incidents are “not xenophobic attacks”. “With the drug problem in the Western Cape, this is the normal thing happening,” he says. Karakoos says that Osman arrived in South Africa a year ago. He left behind his wife and three children in Somali so that he could earn money and send it back home. Police have arrested two men – both 20 years old – for the attempted robbery and murder of Osman and attempted murder of his assistant. Police could not confirm the date of their next appearance.
We are worried. Many of the foreigners keep their shops open until so late. This makes them more vulnerable
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WELCOME HOME: The skipper of the City of Cape Townsponsored yacht Spirit of Izivunguvungu, Kader Williams from Mitchell’s Plain, hugs his sister, Mezyda Samsodien, after returning to home shores on Wednesday 30 March. The yacht was damaged beyond repair in a storm last week, as the crew sailed her back to South Africa after taking part in the Heineken Cape to Rio 2011 yacht race. The sailors were rescued by a Liberianregistered ship after communication with the boat was lost for four days. They disembarked at Simon’s Town harbour. Photo: Chad Chapman Braam Hanekom, from People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP), an organisation representing the rights of foreign nationals, says: “We cannot call it xenophobia. It is important that we recognise that Somalis and other foreign nationals are considered vulnerable because they would not receive the same backing from the community as someone from the area who has their roots in the com-
munity. These incidents should be taken very seriously by the police.” . In a separate incident in Tafelsig, a man (37) was shot in the face in Irene Street on Tuesday 29 March at 20:10. Police are investigating an attempted murder case. Voegt said: “We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.” Anyone with information can contact the police on (021) 370-1600.