Salaamedia spoke to small business owners in Walter Sisulu Square, Kliptown, Johannesburg, to highlight the severe impact that the anarchy has had on these businesses.
It’s a tragic reality that the Randera brothers, like many other business owners in South Africa, must face in the aftermath of riots in the country this week.
JOHANNESBURG – Thousands of small businesses have suffered a huge blow after rioters looted stores and even went to the extent of burning others in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. They’re now counting the mounting costs of the rampage, after a week of violence.
Salaelo Makwidhiri and the Salaamedia team spoke to small business owners in Walter Sisulu Square, Kliptown, Johannesburg, to find out the severity of the impact that the anarchy has had on these businesses.
Khalil Randera, owner of Farook Furniture & Electronics, and his brother Huzaifah Randera, owner of AHR Cellphones started trading in the Kliptown area when they immigrated from India many years ago, in search of business opportunity.
Before they arrived in South Africa, the brothers sold all their belongings so they could afford the big move. Randera said they’ve now lost everything: “We had to sell our things in India to be able to come here and start a business, now it is all gone”.
According to the brothers, they arrived at their store around 8am and the area was quiet. Khalil recalled a friend notifying him about an hour later that looters are heading towards his business area but he felt no reason to panic as Police were on guard. However, he said, the Police fled when a group of looters arrived.
Khalil drove away after the looters threw a stone at his car window, leaving it shattered. He stood across the street and watched as his shop was emptied by looters.
He claims that Police refused to interrupt the looters, despite him going down on his knees and begging for their intervention.
“The police were standing with me and I went on my knees and asked them to stop what is happening but they refused to help me” – Khalil Randera, a businessman whose store was looted in a recent riot
The Randera brothers estimate that they have lost stock to the tune of nearly R1 million. Khalil said he does not know how he we will reopen the business again because he does not have insurance. He is concerned about his family and is now unemployed staff.
“I will have to borrow money from friends and family because I have no other choice but to start the business again. I have people at home I have feed and my workers are also out of jobs,” he said.
An employee of Farook Furniture, Adin Nyauza said he does not know how he will feed his two children, buy nappies for his child, pay rent and transportation because he does not have an income anymore.
