Video by Kamogelo Moichela
Johannesburg - Schools, businesses and informal traders in Alexandra face huge challenges following a stand-off between members of the "Operational Dudula Movement" and foreign national business owners.
Community members and some shop owners (citizens and foreign nationals) on Tuesday said they were afraid to walk on the streets or even open their businesses because they fear losing their goods, money and even their lives.
Bangladeshi national and shop owner Rumon Miah said he was losing business because of Operation Dudula. He urged the government to bring in the army to deal with the situation.
"The government should deal with this matter because it is going to be a big thing going forward," he said.
South African informal trader and Alexandra resident Ntshieng Letsoalo told IOL that she could not sell her products because of the attacks among foreign nationals and South African nationals.
She said the government should allow foreigners with relevant documents to trade.
It is believed that three movements – Operation Dudula, #FielaAlex and #PutSouthAfricaFirst – have also been active in the area.
Video: Kamogelo Moichela/ IOL Politics
“These are the operations that help us with what is unfolding here in Alexandra,” she said.
Meanwhile, speaking at the South African Human Rights Commission hearings last week, Gauteng City-Region Observatory researcher Mamokete Motjomane told the commission that the informal business sector suffered a heavy blow due to Covid-19, because the government could not allow them to operate on streets to feed their families and other family members who lost their jobs.
Meanwhile, Rose Manganye, from Malamulele in Limpopo, said she has been selling vegetables on the streets since 1994 and nothing of this nature has ever transpired.
Video: Kamogelo Moichela/ IOL Politics
She lamented that her children were now going to suffer because her stock was taken on Monday. She said she now had to go to the North West to stock up on fresh produce to sell in order to feed her family.
Some Alexandra residents said they had fought for South Africa’s freedom and demanded that foreign nationals return to their native countries.
Political Bureau