Rustenburg – Foreign nationals are not squeezing South Africans out of business, a North West businessman said on Tuesday.
“Foreigners found some of our businesses failing, they turned them around and when the business flourishes we accused them of taking our businesses,”said Rapula Matlala of Lethabong, north of Rustenburg, during a march by locals to protests against attacks on foreigners on Monday.
He said locals were renting their business premises to foreigners and then later complained that they had been squeezed out of business.
He said he could not understand why foreign-owned shops were looted during service delivery protest.
“I cannot see the link between service delivery protests and looting of shops. If people wanted water from the municipality why do they take their anger to foreigners.”
The chief co-ordinator of the Pakistan Association in South Africa, Ahmed Raza said, South Africans and foreigners could share ideas on how to run businesses.
“We need each other to run successful businesses. We face the same problems, there could be lack of business opportunity for foreigners and the same could be for locals.”
Raza said Pakistani businessmen would meet with their South African counterpart in Brits on Thursday to share business ideas.
At least seven people have been killed after attacks on foreigners erupted in KwaZulu-Natal and spilled over to Gauteng earlier this month. Over 300 people have been arrested in connection with attacks and widespread looting.
Residents of Lethabong said attacks on foreigners had dented the country’s record of tolerance and human rights.
“We celebrated Freedom Day with a dented image, South Africans is a respected constitutional democracy, these attacks have no space in our country,” said resident Kaizer Moemi.
ANA