By Karen Breytenbach
Monday, November 27, 2006
Although two Somalis were killed in Cape Town in the past month, a widespread campaign to rob and kill Somali traders seems to have been halted since the intervention of the authorities, spokespeople for the community have said.
Mohamed Dawlo, director of the Somali Association of South Africa, said two of his countrymen were killed in the Cape metropole in the last month, on November 9 and 23, and two were killed in Port Elizabeth.
"Even though this is terrible, compared to earlier months, it is a drastic drop in the number of murders... We are relieved."
"It seems to be OK now," he said, but added that about five Somali-run businesses in the Hermanus area had been threatened in the last month.
A delegation will meet with Hermanus police on Tuesday to discuss co-operation between the police, the local community and local Somalis in preventing crime against Somali traders.
They are hoping to implement a strategy similar to one in Masiphumelele in the Fish Hoek area, where Somali and South African traders successfully settled their rivalry by forming a single business forum.
"Government took too long to react, but whatever they are doing now is working," said Nassan.
Police in the Western Cape seemed to be in denial about the campaign against Somalis, Dawlo added.
Source: Cape Times, Nov 27, 2006