Several shops owned by Ethiopians, Pakistanis and Somalis were closed in Snake Park following the attacks. File photo
Image by: Alon Skuy
People threw stones at the van of four Somali nationals who had packed up their shop in Soweto on Thursday following clashes between locals and foreigners.
A crowd stood around the van, which the men were loading with stock, in Heald street, Meadowlands.
Two police vans were on the scene and officers stood close to make sure the crowd did not intimidate the foreign businessmen.
A boy in school uniform shouted: "They must leave, they want to kill us."
One of the Somali men, Shineh Farrah Abdillah, responded: "Why would I want to kill you, you are my brother", to which the boy answered: "You are not my brother".
The crowd became impatient and as the men finished packing their van and started the vehicle people began throwing stones.
Abdillah, who said he had been in South Africa since 2011, told Sapa: "The police were trying to help us but now I'm worried about myself because of these people."
Earlier on Thursday, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was reportedly in Meadowlands to try speak to the people.
Police were on high alert in Soweto, the third day of clashes that left at least two people dead.
Several shops owned by Ethiopians, Pakistanis and Somalis were closed in Snake Park following the attacks.
Residents went on a rampage looting shops and attacking foreigners after a teenager was shot dead in Snake Park. Mthetheleli Siphiwe Mahori, 14, was shot dead, allegedly by a foreign shop owner on Monday. He was apparently part of a group that tried to rob the shop.
The violence spilled over to Braamfischerville, Dobsonville, Emdeni, Zola and Protea Glen. Timeslive Crime , Herald , passport , south africa , Zimbabwe Politics
