Ethiopian shop owners in Diepsloot say they are targeted for extortion by people in the community, and by police.
- Immigrant shop owners in Diepsloot say they are being scapegoated for the high levels of crime in the area.
- Their shops were looted during anti-crime protests; they pay protection rackets but are still robbed; and several shopkeepers gain been murdered.
- They also complain of harassment by police and say they are forced to pay bribes.
- Police say they are conducting an ongoing operation “against illegal immigrants as fraction of anti-crime operations”.
After weeks of protests against high levels of crime rocked Diepsloot, the situation has calmed down. But immigrant shop owners, mostly Ethiopian, Somalian and Bangladeshi, say they are still being targeted by people in the community and scapegoated for crime in general. Their businesses were looted during the protests and several shops completely destroyed.
Most immigrant shop owners live with their families in Diepsloot. They say they are not given an opportunity to defend themselves or be heard by the community.
Since 20 June, police and Home Affairs officials gain conducted almost daily raids, arresting and detaining people even when their asylum and refugee documents are in order, they say. They allege that they are forced to pay bribes before they are released.
Some Ethiopian restaurants were also recently closed by the authorities for operating illegally.
Ethiopian community representative Daniel Sherrif, who also owns restaurants and a grocery shop, said: “We gain a total of 311 shops in Diepsloot. As owners we had a meeting with community representatives to believe them protect our shops from being looted during protests. For the past few years each shop paid R300 per month.”
He said shop owners also contributed to funerals in the community and gave food parcels to poor people. But all this had made no disagreement.
“We are not criminals but fathers with families to scrutinize after. When the police arrive, we are meant to feel pleased and protected, but instead they seize advantage to manufacture money out of us. They demand documents accusing us of having fake documents, yet most of us are refugees and asylum seekers.
“The same officers who demand money from us are the same people working at the Diepsloot police station. Reporting to them about their own crimes makes no sense,” he said.
Another Ethiopian community representative, Desta Markos, said the protection fees had not kept their shops safe. He said they were targeted because many immigrants carry out not gain bank accounts and maintain cash on their premises.
“Some of our Ethiopian brothers maintain been killed during shop robberies over the past three years, but those perpetrators are never arrested. The first thing that police contemplate of when there are complaints about crime is to arrest us for papers,” said Markos.
A number of shop owners acquire been killed this year. Among those killed were Zalaka Haybano, Dagale Ertiro, Charnat Basha, and Tadela Diga, all of whom left wives and children behind. The Ethiopian community repatriated the bodies to Ethiopia for burial.
“We are not safe in this community. If it’s not community members accusing us of crime and looting our shops, it’s robbers who specifically target immigrant shops, and police who terrorise our brothers, taking money,” said Markos.
“It’s been years of suffering in Diepsloot … Things are not easy, mostly because we cannot renew papers. Where enact we sprint to, because this has been our home for many years?” said Markos.
Immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers we spoke to said they gain been struggling to renew their documents at the Desmond Tutu Refugee Centre since the Covid lockdown in 2020. They say they submit through the online renewal scheme, but never receive a response.
“Operating a business is not a crime, but we are accused and arrested. What are we supposed to carry out?” asked restaurant owner Tadios Anoye.
Tadios Anoye, a restaurant owner, said he had also been arrested, and his restaurant was closed down last week. He said he had applied for a permit years ago but has never received a response.
“Operating a business is not a crime, but we are accused and arrested. What are we supposed to finish?” asked Anoye.
Diepsloot police commander Brigadier Koena Moichela said: “There is an ongoing operation against illegal immigrants as fraction of our anti-crime operations.”
He said people with expired asylum and refugee documents were released after verification by Home Affairs that the documents were legitimate. He said no reports of bribery had been made.
He said bribery should be reported and people could report this to him personally.
Clifford Dube, of the Diepsloot Community Traders Forum, said: “The problem is that there are certain community representatives who point fingers at immigrants out of jealousy. We maintain foreigners who are doing productive businesses but are accused of taking away business opportunities.”
“Those coming from other countries unite and assist each other in terms of buying power, which locals cannot execute. In some cases, this has sparked envy and jealousy among those community members who then target immigrants.”
Questions were sent to Home Affairs and will be added if received.
Ethiopian shop owners who were arrested and then released on Tuesday be pleased a meal together.
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Pitfall
A Priest was seated next to Van Der Merwe on a flight to Brakpan.
After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken.
Van Der Merwe asked for a Rum and Coke, which was brought and placed before him.
The flight attendant then asked the priest if he would like a drink.
He replied in disgust \”I\’d rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips.\”
Van Der Merwe then handed his drink back to the attendant and said \”Me too, I didn\’t know we had a choice.\”
scratch man
Interview with a pirate:
There was a pirate who had agreed to do an interview with a local tv station. The reporter was very courteous and professional, giving a bit of background as to the pirate\’s business. She then began interviewing him.
\”So Mr. Longbeard, are there any risks to your business? I see you have a peg leg- how did that come about?\”
\”Well, y\’see I were sailing along the coast of South Africa, looking to plunder some locals when as I boarded the small boat from the ship, a great white shark came up and got my leg clean off. \’twas scary yes, but thus is the life of a pirate.\”
\”Wow, that is pretty scary- well, how about your hook? What happened to your hand with that?\”
\”Oh now that\’s quite the tale, y\’see I were fighting a rival pirate, and we had locked swords. We had been fighting for a few hours, and were both terribly fatigued. I had a bit of exhaustion and confusion, and when I went to block one of his sword blows, I met him with me hand instead of me sword. Took it right off, but it shocked him so much I managed to get him back pretty good and have him submit. So the hook hand was given as a replacement.\”
\”Wow. Simply fascinating. Now, what about your eye patch? How did that happen?\”
\”Well, one day, a seagull was flying overhead, and I looked up. It pooped right in me eye.\”
\”… Well wow. I must admit, I wouldn\’t think just seagull poop could damage the eye that badly.\”
\”Oh, I forgot to mention… it were me first day with the hook.\”