By Christine Tsotetsi.
Soweto. (News Of The South) – Many foreigners have left Soweto township near South Africa’s following attacks and looting of their shops this week.
About 81 shops owned by Ethiopians, Pakistanis, Somalis and Bangladeshi were closed in the affected areas, following the attacks.
Residents went on a rampage looting shops and attacking foreigners after a teenager was shot dead in Snake Park.
Mthetheleli Siphiwe Mahori, 14, was shot dead, allegedly by a foreign shop owner on Monday. He was apparently part of a group that tried to rob the shop.
The violence spilled over to Braamfischerville, Dobsonville, Emdeni, Zola and Protea Glen.
Senosi Yusuf, who was arrested for the murder of Mahori, appeared in the same court where his case was postponed to January 26.
Gauteng provincial police say nearly 70 people were arrested on charges including murder, robbery, public violence, and illegal possession of firearms.
Eight of them are foreign nationals allegedly found in possession of unlicensed firearms and fake identity documents.
One was a policeman caught on camera allegedly taking part in the looting.
The violence has been described as pure criminality and not xenophobia by the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety in the province.
Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko says his ministry is closely monitoring developments.
The minister has called on local leaders to intervene immediately.
GAUTENG POLICE COMMISSIONER’S MEDIA BRIEFING FRIDAY MORNING…….
*Calm has returned to Soweto after days of public violence.
*Police enforcement reinforced in all areas where looting took place (should this continue throughout the weekend). They include the most feared unit, the technical unit in the police service which made headlines in the past years NOT for good reasons.
*Police commissioner vows to take action against rogue elements within the SA police services.
*Number of arrests up to 121 with charges ranging from murder, public violence and theft.
*Looting spreads to other parts of the Gauteng province, outside Soweto where the looting first took place this week.
*Eleven firearms belonging to foreign nationals confiscated.
*Thirty-eight people have so far appeared in court and their case was postponed to January 28th for further investigation.
*Forty-four other suspects will appear in court today, while 39 others who were arrested last night will appear in court on Monday.
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