Last Friday was the anniversary of the start of two days of looting of shops owned by immigrants living in Grahamstown that left 500
people homeless and stripped of their means of earning an income. What has been done to address the circumstances that
Last Friday was the anniversary of the start of two days of looting of shops owned by immigrants living in Grahamstown that left 500
people homeless and stripped of their means of earning an income. What has been done to address the circumstances that
led to the looting; what has changed, and is there any risk of it happening again? Grocott’s Mail spoke to the Grahamstown Muslim Association, Makana Municipality, the police and the Grahamstown Business Forum.
Grahamstown Muslim Association
We have had extensive meetings with all the roleplayers to address problems and misunderstandings in consultative and constructive ways. Regular meetings are still being held with those affected to console and offer post-trauma counselling. The association is also supporting the improvement of interpersonal relationships among the affected people, as well as between the affected people and the community as a whole, and are encouraging the businesspeople to become involved in social upliftment
programmes. A thanksgiving ceremony was held to show our appreciation for all the stakeholders, activists, humanitarians and
the different organisations involved. Through our other associations, awareness was raised all over South Africa, especially the Islamic Circle of Southern Africa’s (ICSA) Annual Convention and the PAK SA Associations. At our recent annual ICSA convention we conducted programmes on the way forward in the presence of national and international delegates. Funds were distributed to
some of the affected people. Most of the shops have been rehabilitated but a few could not and a number of people have left the city. However there are overall improved relationships among people and they appreciate each other more than ever.
Naveed Anjum – chairperson
Makana Municipality
There were meetings in various wards during xenophobic attacks. A refugee stakeholders’ forum was established with the assistance of the UN High Commission for Refugees. The municipality has submitted a request for assistance in training with regards to dealing with refugee issues. A workshop was held this week under the theme Emergency Response and Social Cohesion.
Currently no problems have been reported and the situation is calm. Non-nationals are running their businesses in the township without any difficulties.
Mandisi Planga – acting municipal manager, Makana Municipality
Better prepared
We’re definitely better prepared for events of that nature now. We’d never met with anything of that kind when it happened. Details
like who to contact for assistance – they were outside our experience then. We’re still in contact with those resources and will be
receiving more training from them in future. We’re interacting with the skills training and advocacy officer in the Agency for Refugee
Education, Tendai Gumbi. Part of the training involves educationg councillors and ward committee members about the rights of refugees in South Africa, as well as who to go to for help. The immigrants have told us that they feel safer and a lot more welcome.
The bottom line is that what affects them is something that affects all South Africans and that is crime. Like many South Africans
they complain that when police do arrest people for robbery, they are released. But the police have said cases are often postponed because the shopkeepers don’t want to leave their businesses to come to court. Their fears now are more general – as citizens.
Khuselo Qupe – disaster manager, Makana Municipality
South African Police Service Reintegration
As soon as we became aware of the incident, the SAPS established a joint operational centre (JOC). All heads of the Security Cluster , the relevant government departments, and NGOs were part of the JOC which was chaired by the Cluster Commander , Brigadier Morgan Govender. A plan including the reintegration of the foreign national community was detailed. We went through various phases, the first being the stabilisation phase, thereafter the normalisation and finally the re-integration phase which was concluded successfully with the assistance of all the stakeholders as well as our community. Some of the activities included having open meetings with the Community. There were a lot of misconceptions on the operating of the foreign-owned businesses. Local Government provided information on the applicable bylaws. These were addressed at public platforms including print and electronic media, and since the perceptions were removed, our communities appear to be living in harmony. We as South African born citizens enjoy the rights enshrined in our constitution, so too does our foreign national community who reside here.
Captain Mali Govender – spokesperson, SAPS
Grahamstown Business Forum
I can still vividly remember the terror of last year’s xenophobic unrest. I would assume that I have dedicated thousands of hours to talking the immigrant shop owners. I have personally visited shops in the township and met with owners regularly since last year. If I
am brutally honest with you I am very concerned and disappointed with the majority of them. In my opinion, they have failed to organise themselves effectively to address issues they face and that the community has with them. Important
issues raised by local leaders have never been taken up and resolved.
These include but are not limited to the following:
a. Keeping shops, buildings and shopfronts clean,
b. Selling of expired goods,
c. Adhering to municipal bylaws,
d. Fostering good relationships with the Police and Makana,
e. Labour practices ie adhering to minimum wages and basic conditions of employment,
f. Abiding by the laws and customs of South Africa,
g. Contributing back to the community (Charity),
h. Being involved in active citizenry,
i. Good business practice.
Richard Gaybba – secretary, GBF
