Johannesburg – Duduza on the East Rand was quiet on Wednesday morning after a foreign-owned shop was ransacked the evening before, Gauteng police said.

Police spokesperson Madeleine von Wielligh said residents held a peaceful meeting on Tuesday about allowing Somali shop owners to return to the township.

“A group of people then left the meeting and went to a Somali-owned shop. They kicked the door and took a few things from the shop.”

No one was arrested and no injuries or fatalities were reported.

When the police responded, nobody knew who had been responsible and everything had quietened down, said Von Wielligh.

Residents chased Somalians from the area about three months ago.

Chairperson of People Seeking Justice Action Group, Ayob Mungalee, dismissed police reports that only one shop was looted and no one was injured on Tuesday.

“Twenty shops were looted and four Somali shop owners were injured.”

On 16 August, 200 shops belonging to the Somalians were closed down and 800 people were displaced.

Mungalee said on 16 October the group got a court order that declared Duduza a national disaster area.

“The order said foreigners displaced should return to their properties and the metro police should address the plight of the affected people.”

He said foreigners living and doing business in Duduza were afraid as police were demanding bribes in exchange for protection.

– SAPA