About 30 Somali shopkeepers trading and living in Du Noon have received warning letters telling them to leave the area, fuelling fears that xenophobic attacks occurring in Johannesburg could spread to Cape Town.
Mohamad Jama, a member of the Somali Community Board of the Western Cape, said the letters were hand delivered to spaza owners on Sunday by community members.
"We don't know what to do, we are scared. We are afraid to be at home because our homes are not safe," he said.
"They told us that what we are seeing happening in Johannesburg will happen here."
Sunday's warning follows the shooting on Friday of two Somali brothers in an informal settlement in Fisantekraal, near Durbanville.
Khair Rashied, 28, was killed on Friday when four armed men approached the spaza he owned. Rashied, who was shot in his side, died at the scene.
His 30-year-old brother, who had been closing the shop, was wounded in his stomach and is in a stable condition in hospital.
Police spokesperson Inspector Bernadine Steyn said the motive for the attack was armed robbery.
"When they entered the shop, they demanded money," said Steyn, adding that police were not investigating any links to xenophobia.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the shooting and is due to appear in the Bellville Magistrate's Court today on charges of murder, attempted murder and attempted armed robbery.
When the Cape Argus contacted the Rashied family, they refused any photographs or an interview for fear that these would provoke more attacks. - Cape Argus
Mohamad Jama, a member of the Somali Community Board of the Western Cape, said the letters were hand delivered to spaza owners on Sunday by community members.
"We don't know what to do, we are scared. We are afraid to be at home because our homes are not safe," he said.
"They told us that what we are seeing happening in Johannesburg will happen here."
Sunday's warning follows the shooting on Friday of two Somali brothers in an informal settlement in Fisantekraal, near Durbanville.
Khair Rashied, 28, was killed on Friday when four armed men approached the spaza he owned. Rashied, who was shot in his side, died at the scene.
His 30-year-old brother, who had been closing the shop, was wounded in his stomach and is in a stable condition in hospital.
Police spokesperson Inspector Bernadine Steyn said the motive for the attack was armed robbery.
"When they entered the shop, they demanded money," said Steyn, adding that police were not investigating any links to xenophobia.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the shooting and is due to appear in the Bellville Magistrate's Court today on charges of murder, attempted murder and attempted armed robbery.
When the Cape Argus contacted the Rashied family, they refused any photographs or an interview for fear that these would provoke more attacks. - Cape Argus
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