SOMALI shopkeepers have called on Cape Town police to help get some of their countrymen out of Gugulethu and set up shop elsewhere.

Chairperson of the Anti-Eviction Campaign (AEC) in Western Cape Mncedisi Twalo said that after the wave of xenophobic attacks in 2008, a deal was brokered between the Somalis and local shopowners.

“It was agreed that no new Somali shops would be allowed in Gugulethu and New Cross Roads. It was also agreed that any new shops would only open once peace had been restored,” Twalo said.

But new Somali businesses continued to open and this had put Somalis who signed the agreement with locals in a difficult position.

The AEC said before the agreement local shopkeepers had accused the Somalis of killing their businesses as their prices were lower.

Threatening letters were subsequently sent to the Somalis demanding that they leave the townships.

Twalo said a group of Somalis approached the AEC for help and on Sunday they met with local police.

“Peace has not completely returned. The area could easily blow up. The other problem is that the new Somali business people undercut the local guys when it comes to the price of bread, paraffin and milk. It was agreed in 2009 that every one’s prices would be the same,” Twalo added.

But Hussein Omar, Western Cape chairperson of the Somali Association of South Africa, said the flawed agreement should never have been agreed to in the first place.

“An agreement such as this should be fair to all. Agreeing that prices should be the same amounts to price fixing, which is illegal.

“We were initially part of the negotiations, but we found the AEC was biased against Somalis so we didn’t endorse the agreement,” Omar said.

“The community does not have a problem with the Somali traders. They welcome them. There are instigators and bad elements within the community who are guilty of opportunistic crimes. It is up to the police to investigate.”

Source:-sowetanlive.co.za

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