The ANC and Operation Dudula in Naledi, Soweto are at loggerheads over the shutting down of spaza shops in the area.
This comes after at least two children, Neo Khang and Leon Jele, died after eating biscuits bought from a spaza shop. Olwethu Zikhali and Katlego Mbatha remain in the intensive unit care at Chris-Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The children are aged between four and six years.
In the community meeting held at Naledi Community Hall yesterday, councillor Lazarus Mmota was allegedly kicked out for voicing against the idea of closing all spaza shops owned by non-South African citizens.
Davis Magolego, Operation Dudula sniper, said this was when the meeting commenced peacefully without the control of the ANC.
He said the community was not looking for a sermon but rather solutions to prevent more deaths.
He said it was more infuriating that although it was concluded in the meeting that all stores will be shut and they successfully fulfilled the mission yesterday, they woke up to fully operational stores on Thursday due to the ANC’s contradiction.
Magolego said they were not willing to throw in the towel as the four children remind them of a 14-year-old Tokologo Letageng, who was allegedly killed by a foreign national shop owner in Limpopo. He said the accused has opened another shop at GaMaepa village.
“In Sehlakwane village last month, an Ethiopian spaza shop owner shot and killed Themba Mahlangu with an illegal firearm. When asked, his [response] was that he was checking if the gun works, and nothing happened to him as a spaza shop owner.
“So, our message is the very same message to say people should stop buying from these monsters and they should go back and fix their country,” said Magolego.
Mmota said the ANC was more focused on helping the families bury their young loved ones, emphasising that ensuring the burials ran smooth was the only thing that mattered, especially for the families.
“I was at the meeting and I was, still am, against the closing down of the shops because that is the most stupid solution I have ever heard. This will badly affect our community because the township economy depends on these shops for its growth. We need to allow the authorities time to investigate this matter and, only then can we make a decision. For now, the family needs support. We will be visiting the family today to understand how far they are with the arrangements and how we can help them,” said Mmota.
Matome Chiloane, Gauteng education MEC, said they will continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies in an effort to help get to the bottom of the matter.
“This incident serves as a grave reminder to parents and guardians to exercise utmost caution when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of our learners.
“It is imperative that we remain vigilant and ensure that our children are not exposed to harmful substances,” said Chiloane.
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