POLOKWANE erupted in violence yesterday as taximen assaulted foreigners who own shops.
The incident left three cars burnt and two others damaged when a group of taxi divers pelted them with stones.
At least two foreign shops were looted.
The violence followed an incident in which a Somalian motorist allegedly bumped into a taxi on Monday and a fight ensued between him and the taxi driver.
The taximan allegedly called his colleagues to help assault the Somalian man, but cops intervened.
The taxi drivers vowed to come back the next day – and they kept their promise.
Ismail Haji (41), whose double-cab bakkie was burnt to ashes, said he heard noises outside his shop at about 10am yesterday.
“I went outside and saw a large group of men burning cars. Before we knew it, they were looting my shop and the one next to mine. I managed to close it before they took everything. We don’t even know the Somalian who was in the accident with the taxi driver. Why are we being attacked?”
Another Somalian whose bakkie was also burnt told Daily Sun he was in the area to buy food at the time of the attacks.
Abdurrahman Ahmed said: “I regret coming here. Now I’m leaving without my car. The government needs to step in.
“We cannot continue to live in fear.”
Businesswoman Hawa Ahmed (35), whose shop was looted of stock worth more than R200 000, said she didn’t know how she and her two kids would survive.
Luka Sethosa, secretary of Seshego Polokwane Taxi Association, said the association was shocked by the attacks, but said he hadn’t received any official reports about the accident or the violence.
“We cannot yet confirm or deny that the people involved are our members.”
Limpopo police spokesman Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said cops have launched a manhunt for the suspects.
