Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2015-01-23

Gauteng police have arrested more people on Friday for unrest and looting in Soweto bringing the total to 153.
    
They were arrested for public violence and possession of stolen property,” provincial commissioner General Lesetja Mothiba said

Two minors caught looting were released into the custody of their parents

Addressing the media Mothiba said looters were youth addicted to drugs such as nyaope.

“They target specific items such as prepaid airtime vouchers, cigarettes and cash.”

However it seems people were not only targeting foreign owned shops.

A resident who lives in Lenasia who has a shop in Protea South said his shop was also looted late last night.

“I am not a foreigner, I am here 52 years in this shop and I don’t know why they looted me, Abu Bakr Fakir told Radio Islam.

“I was here since half past one this morning, the cops were very helpful. They (looters) damaged too much even the madressa next door they damaged,” (sic) said Fakir

The looting started in Snake Park on Monday after a local teenager, 14-year-old Siphiwe Mahori, was shot dead, allegedly by Somalian shopkeeper Senosi Yusuf.

The boy was apparently part of a group trying to rob the shop.

The violence spread into parts of Soweto and has spilled over to Sebokeng in the Vaal and Kagiso on the West Rand.

Meanwhile the Somali Embassy said the spate of attacks on foreign owned shops are not merely acts of crime by largely xenophobic incidents.

“We believe it’s xenophobic. Since 2008 it’s a common occurrence, it’s something daily which we live in.” The embassy’s Yusuf Ulusi said.

Ulusi also thanked the police for assisting the shop owners.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)