Durban - An Inanda family whose shop was burned in the recent spate of attacks on shops run by foreigners, says without the rent they were getting for it, they have no income.
Clara Mngadi said the shop had been in her family for decades.
“My father built it from the ground up with his own hands. Over the years, different family members have run it but for the past 10 years, we have rented it out because we could not afford to stock it,” she said.
She said the family received R4 000 rent from Somali national Mohamed.
Mohamed, who declined to give his surname, was in the shop when an unknown group of people ordered him and other shopkeepers out, while pouring petrol over everything and setting it alight.
“All the stock I had just bought, piled up to the ceiling, lots of money - about R25 000 - all burned. I tried to reason with them but they would not even talk to us, they just came in and told us to get out,” said Mohamed.
They had been working and living in the shop so all their belongings were burned too.
Mohamed said he had sought refuge among his fellow countrymen in the Durban CBD but did not have money to pay any contribution for his accommodation, food or transport to return home.
“I lost everything but before I lose my life, I think it’s better I go home,” he said.
Mohamed has been in South Africa since 2010, having started off working before saving enough money to start his own shop at the Mngadi’s.