Mpumalanga – Following the Friday Jumuah prayer this afternoon, a local mosque in Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga, fell victim to an attack by a group of armed assailants.
The perpetrators entered the mosque and instructed congregants to lie on the ground, making it challenging to identify them. During this ordeal, attendees were searched and had their belongings, including cash and cell phones, forcibly taken.
Approximately 150 congregants, predominantly foreign business owners, potentially of Pakistani origin and the like, were targeted. Given their status and occupations, many carried substantial amounts of cash, presumably for various financial transactions.
One victim, identified by the initials SC, is a Pakistani national and reported that one person had their car stolen. However, the make and model remain unknown. SC, one of the victims, estimates the thieves made away with a substantial amount of money.
“I don’t know [how much money it was in total] but [approximately] more than two hundred thousand, as I asked some brothers who said “, I have lost R5000,” some said, “I have R2000 and R10 000.”
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Xenophobia is Still a Big Issue in South Africa
The events which transpired today are just one among numerous instances where criminals invade mosques, holding congregants at gunpoint and robbing them of their possessions during Friday prayers, an ongoing issue prevalent throughout the country.
As anticipated, many congregants of today’s incident, mainly foreign nationals, experienced shock but were somewhat desensitised to such occurrences, given that local South Africans frequently target them.
This isolated incident sheds light on a broader problem of xenophobia and its profound impact on the lives, livelihoods, and families of foreign nationals.
SC highlighted the delicate nature of living in certain areas, where the safety of foreigners and businesses is contingent on their usefulness to the local populace. However, with a mere shift in circumstances, they swiftly become targets.
He expressed concern over the fear that grips business owners, preventing them from travelling and restocking their supermarkets due to the high risk of being hijacked and robbed.
“If they see a Pakistani … They hijack them, they rob them, and they take some for ransom. This happens a lot in this area.”
