Spaza shopkeepers in Khayamandi say they were left traumatised by the action of Law Enforcement officers after raids on their shops last month.

According to a spokesperson for several shopkeepers the incident took place late on Friday 12 June, when municipal Law Enforcement officers apparently barged into their stores to inspect their paperwork.

The shopkeepers’ spokesperson, who spoke to Eikestadnuus on condition of anonymity out of fear, claimed the officers were heavy-handed and rude.

“Historically, the relationship [between shopkeepers and the municipality] has been good and collaborative,” he pointed out. “However, the behaviour of the officers during this specific operation was strange, aggressive and entirely uncharacteristic of how municipal officials usually conduct themselves.”

He noted “due to the current tensions across the country” shopkeepers do not feel safe.

Tensions between civic groups such as March and March and foreign residents, whether illegally in the country or not, have meant the group of Khayamandi shopkeepers were unwilling to make too many waves after the recent incident with municipal officers.

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Tensions mount

“It is difficult to file a complaint with the very same system that just broke the law in front of you,” the group’s spokesperson pointed out.

“Because of that fear and lack of trust we are turning to the media to help expose this situation and seek justice.”

Alleged Law Enforcement officers unexpectedly visited several stores and eventually detained several shopkeepers.

Their spokesperson said it was an unusual time for standard municipal inspections. “Shopkeepers were detained, but were released after appearing in court, where officials of the Department of Home Affairs successfully verified all their documentation was legal and up to date.”

Residents of Khayamandi, along with March and March and the organisation Operation Dudula, took to the streets in protest last month, marching against socio-economic issues, which they say are tied to the presence of undocumented immigrants in South Africa.

Counting losses

On Youth Day (16 June) protesters from Khayamandi marched to the Stellenbosch Town Hall, where a petition of grievances was handed to law-enforcement officers and local police. The protesters claimed foreigners were taking their jobs.

In light of the somewhat hostile attitudes towards them the shopkeepers say the municipal officers’ actions were even more traumatic.

“The shopkeepers suffered significant stock damage and the operations left total chaos in its wake,” their spokesperson said.

“Furthermore, because of the sudden disruption we couldn’t properly account for the day’s sales, making it hard to quantify cash losses immediately. Beyond the financial toll the community is now dealing with deep psychological trauma and a constant fear of the police.”

Eikestadnuus approached Stellenbosch Municipality for comment on the group’s claims, but no response was received at the time of going to print.