
A tragic incident in a township near Johannesburg has sparked renewed anger towards foreigners in South Africa. On Sunday, two girls and three boys, aged between seven and nine, lost their lives after consuming snacks from a local “spaza shop,” according to their families. Additionally, a sixth child is currently in intensive care.
The spaza shop, owned by a Somali national, faced immediate backlash, resulting in the owner being forced to leave the area on Tuesday due to local outrage. In the wake of the incident, residents of Soweto have staged protests, demanding the closure of such shops, which many claim sell expired or unsafe food products.
Reports indicate that some spaza shops have been looted amid these tensions, as they are often owned by immigrants from other African nations. Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, addressed the media, urging the community to refrain from purchasing from these shops. “We must prioritize what is in our best interest; the lives of our children and ourselves far outweigh the appeal of cheaper, potentially harmful products,” she stated.
This recent tragedy follows another incident last week in the Eastern Cape, where three children aged one to four died after consuming an instant porridge product from Namibia that was subsequently recalled. The situation echoes previous waves of xenophobic violence, notably in 2019, when attacks on foreign-owned businesses in Johannesburg resulted in numerous fatalities.
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