Johannesburg -
ANC veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has visited the family of a bystander who was killed during an attack on a foreign-owned shop in Swaneville, SABC News reported on Saturday.
Madikizela-Mandela said it did not make sense for South Africans to attack shops owned by foreign nationals, who they accused of taking away jobs.
She visited Hendrick Manye's family on the West Rand on Friday afternoon.
Warrant Officer Solomon Sibiya told Sapa the 61-year-old man was killed on Thursday when a group of people threw stones at the shop.
“A man who alleged that he was with the deceased during the shooting told the police that they were playing snooker at a nearby tavern when they heard noise outside,” said Sibiya.
“They then went out to investigate and that is when they noticed members of the community stoning the shop. During the stoning the shopowner allegedly fired shots through the window in the direction of the crowd.”
Manye was shot in the chest and died on arrival at hospital. No arrests had been made and a murder case was opened.
Looting of foreign-owned shops in Soweto began on Monday when a Somalian man shot dead a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly part of a group trying to break into his store.
Gauteng police commissioner Lt-General Lesetja Mothiba said the looting had since spread to Diepsloot, in the north of Johannesburg, and Kagiso, on the West Rand. - Sapa