Quite often when a township community - or rather mob - rush towards a foreign-owned store, it means serious trouble against the backdrop of sporadic incidents of xenophobia.
In the early hours on Saturday, members of the township community in the Limpopo hamlet of Bela Bela were seen bolting in the direction a Pakistani-owned store in numbers.
What added to the tension was there was smoke spurting from of the premises.
Now for some feel-good journalism: members of the community carried buckets of water to help douse out the growing flames threatening the business run by foreign national, Juhar Deffacho, and his younger brother, Beyn.
Speaking through his older brother Juhar as the interpreter, Beyn said he was working behind the counter when he saw smoke and a small flame from an electrical connection.
“Suddenly there was a loud explosion, and I bolted out of the store into the street,” he said.
“When first I saw members of the community rushing towards the shop, I panicked, thinking they were going to attack me. But my heart melted when the people splashed buckets of water to help douse the flames,” he said.
Juhar said damage to both the building and stock ran into hundreds of rand.
Juhar added he could always count on the community.
“We are like one family here, and I have been in Bela Bela for many years.”
Local resident and SACP co-ordinator, Andrew Laka, said he was driving to burial service when he saw the fire.
He said he pulled off his jacket and tie and got into action, rallying members of the community to help.
“I was among the very first people to arrive, and I immediately called upon passers-by to help, and indeed many people suspended their personal activities to help.
“I hope other communities in the broader nation can learn from this generosity of spirit,” he said.
But then, as in many such circumstances, members of the community were from time to time distracted by youngsters hell-bent on looting what remained of the groceries.
Someone called the fire brigade and the police, and as a result some people ran away carrying goods varying from frozen meat to cigarettes.
Sunday Independent