DISTRAUGHT businessman and father of two, Roshan Sewnarain, from Chatsworth, is angry after thieves stole goods from his store, estimated to be worth about R1.5 million.
Sewnarain said, as a result of the looting, seven employees are out of work.
The owner of Rosh-Co Pawnbrokers, the IOL news team on Sunday said that he was going to open a case at the Bayview Police Station.
“I feel let down by the community I served for 27 years. I have also been actively involved in feeding schemes, community forms, civic associations, police forums, and the SAPS second-hand goods forum. I have done a lot for the community at large, but the same community has stolen from me. I am very disappointed,” said Sewnarain.
He said he wanted to make it clear that the narrative that is currently being pushed – that the only people who stole from him and other shops were from the informal settlement – was incorrect. He said even people who are well-off were captured on CCTV cameras, as they looted his business.
Businessman Roshan Sewnarain speaks about the looting of his business Rosh-Co Pawnbrokers and other businesses. Video: Ntombi Nkosi/IOL Political Bureau
“About 40% of people who stole from my store were from the informal settlement, but 60% of the thieves were people from the community and some of them are shop owners. People must stop only blaming the informal settlement, I want all of them to arrested,” said Sewnarain.
Sewnarain said he was trying hard to keep his business running. He is asking for the government or any good Samaritan to assist him in rebuilding the company. Sewnarain said it was a difficult decision to lay off some of his employees.
Political Bureau