All the top Xenophobia news.

July 01, 2009 Edition 1 Caryn Dolley – Cape Times IN an effort to keep the peace between the two groups, local and Somali traders in Gugulethu today plan to start moving their stores so they are at least 100 metres apart. It is not yet clear how long the process will take or how many shops need to be moved. The relocation of stores is one of a few ideas local traders have suggested to try to ease tensions between themselves and the Somali traders, who they feel are taking business away from them. Yesterday, Mncedisi Twalo, spokesman for the Anti-Eviction Campaign, which has joined…

By Francis Hweshe The tension could be cut with a knife as Gugulethu traders and their Somali counterparts met to thrash out their differences, finally agreeing to effectively fix prices on basic goods, including bread. It was the latest in a long line of meetings between the two sides in moves to avert the tensions spilling over into xenophobic violence reminiscent of last year’s attacks on foreign traders in the townships. Recently things came to a head in the area when the local traders presented their Somali counterparts with a handwritten letter giving them seven days to move out…

By Mandisi Majavu – IPS News May 2008: tens of thousands of black migrants sought shelter at police stations. Worrying signs suggest widespread xenophobic attacks could recur. Credit: Rob Rees/IPS CAPE TOWN, Jun 19 (IPS) – “My worry is that my children are going to be slaves because they won’t have anything. These foreign people come to South Africa with nothing, but tomorrow he has cash, third day he owns a shop and fourth day he has a car. Where do these foreign people get this money?” Small business owners are venting their frustrations on ‘foreign…

June 16, 2009 Edition 1 Francis Hweshe Source: Cape Argus TENSIONS between South African and Somalian shopkeepers in Guguletu have eased, at least temporarily. Local traders apologised to their foreign counterparts after a letter purportedly written on behalf of a group calling itself the Gugulethu Business Forum called for Somali shopkeepers to pack up and and leave the area within seven days. It is still not clear who was behind the letter, as locals for the most part refused to speak to the media at a meeting yesterday which was attended by Somali and South African traders, the police, the…

By Caryn Dolley 15 June 2009, 19:57 Source: IOL Local traders who sent warning letters to Somali shopkeepers telling them they had to get out of Gugulethu by the end of the week have apologised for their intimidating behaviour. And they now say the Somalis are welcome to stay in the area. An interim committee of foreign and local traders from Gugulethu, has also been set up to diffuse any tensions which may still arise between the groups. This was decided during a meeting between local and Somali traders and the police last(mon) night. When the meeting ended last night, a number of local and…