Shops owned by foreigners have been looted during third day of protests against a decision to replace the city mayor of South African capital Pretoria, a Somali community leader told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.
Amir Sheikh, chairman of the Somali community board, said several shops belonging to Somalis and others foreign nationals had been looted Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
“We are surprised why protesters have suddenly turned against foreign-owned businesses when the actual cause of the protest was the replacement of the city mayor,” Sheikh told Anadolu Agency.
He said over 100 such shops had been looted since protests began Monday in the townships of Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Ga-Rankuwa and Mabopane, all located to the north of Pretoria.
“We have managed to help 300 of our nationals to evacuate their goods for safekeeping in Pretoria west,” he said via telephone.
Police confirmed in a short statement Wednesday that looting continued in parts of the city overnight and early Wednesday.
The law enforcement body also confirmed that two people had been killed in Mamelodi township Tuesday night during ongoing unrest.
Police also said 40 people were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday for public violence, theft and possession of stolen property.
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Kidnap a major risk for expats in Nigeria
Kidnap is a major threat to foreigners working in Nigeria.
About a quarter of all kidnappings around the world occurred in Africa’s most populous and richest country during 2015.
Security experts say foreign workers, like the three Australians, New Zealander and South African abducted in the country’s southeast on Wednesday, face plenty of other risks in the form of guerilla groups, organised crime gangs, civil unrest, and drug and weapon smugglers.
“Kidnappings in the south are typically financially motivated, with the victims being held by criminal gangs for ransom,” DFAT says.
In Nigeria’s north kidnappings are usually terrorist-related, like the infamous abduction of 276 Chibok school girls by Boko Haram in 2014.
Security expert Justin Bowden, whose firm Beltin Group advises firms operating in risky areas, says some Australian companies don’t grasp the potential dangers involved with operations in countries like Nigeria.
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Protesters target shops owned by expats in South Africa
Shops owned by foreigners have been looted during third day of protests against a decision to replace the city mayor of South African capital Pretoria, a Somali community leader told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.
Amir Sheikh, chairman of the Somali community board, said several shops belonging to Somalis and others foreign nationals had been looted Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
“We are surprised why protesters have suddenly turned against foreign-owned businesses when the actual cause of the protest was the replacement of the city mayor,” Sheikh told Anadolu Agency.
He said over 100 such shops had been looted since protests began Monday in the townships of Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Ga-Rankuwa and Mabopane, all located to the north of Pretoria.
“We have managed to help 300 of our nationals to evacuate their goods for safekeeping in Pretoria west,” he said via telephone.
Police confirmed in a short statement Wednesday that looting continued in parts of the city overnight and early Wednesday.
The law enforcement body also confirmed that two people had been killed in Mamelodi township Tuesday night during ongoing unrest.
Police also said 40 people were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday for public violence, theft and possession of stolen property.
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Nigerians see China as the future
LAGOS – Emmanuel Iyayi’s love of China, its culture and language began early when he watched kung fu films as a child in his native Nigeria. Now 26, that enthusiasm has paid off.
“I am a translator, an interpreter for Nigerian and Chinese businessmen and I also compere at Chinese events,” Iyayi, who also goes by the Chinese name Kong Yi, told AFP. “All these generate good money for me. I am happy with the pay I get and this has transformed my life tremendously.”
Iyayi isn’t alone in being able to reap the benefits of knowing a language that few of his compatriots speak, given Nigeria’s historic preference for learning European tongues such as French.
Grace Moses teaches and translates Mandarin when she is not studying in her final year at the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos (Unilag).
“I get a lot of job opportunities from Nigerians who have businesses with Chinese people,” said the 25-year-old, likening herself to a go-between for local and Chinese businesses.
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South African, Australians kidnapped in Nigeria
PORT HARCOURT – Nigerian police on Wednesday said three foreign nationals — two Australians and a South African — and two Nigerians were kidnapped in the country’s southeast after their vehicle was attacked.
The hold-up, in which the driver was also shot dead, happened in the Akpabuyo district near the capital of Cross River state, Calabar, at about 7 am (0600 GMT) on Wednesday.
All five were workers with Australian mining and engineering giant Macmahon, which was contracted to cement major LafargeHolcim in the state, police commissioner Jimoh Ozi-Obeh told reporters.
“The police is currently working with the Nigerian Navy to ensure that the victims are released unharmed,” he added.
“The police is aware of the matter. Five persons were kidnapped. They include two Australians, one South African and two Nigerians. The driver of the vehicle was shot dead.”
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