Tensions lingered in KuGompo City’s central business district on Tuesday, a day after violent protests disrupted the area and forced more than 20 foreign national-owned shops to shut their doors.
While no protests were observed on Tuesday in the CBD itself, the aftermath was stark.
Shopkeepers stood outside their closed businesses, watching and waiting as fears of looting spread rapidly through the area.
Many foreign nationals, some of whom have operated in KuGompo City (formerly East London) for nearly two decades, chose not to open their stores, citing safety concerns and the potential risk to their livelihoods.
On Monday, police used stun grenades and teargas to quell the rioting crowd.
A total of 10 vehicles were torched by rioting protesters and one business was set on fire after fury erupted over the alleged coronation of a Nigerian national as “king” in KuGompo City.
On Tuesday a shop owner originally from Somalia, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he had been running supermarket and wholesale businesses since 2000.
“We cannot risk everything we have built over the years. Even if there is no protest here, the fear is real. Our livelihoods depend on the income we make.”
The closures dealt a significant economic blow. For small-scale traders, many of whom rely on daily turnover, the impact is immediate and severe.
Store owner Israel Omoloye said he was heartbroken as his business on bustling Oxford Street was losing money.
“I moved to KuGompo City in 2018, with hopes of making a living for myself. I used my skills to design and make windows and doors for a living.”
Eyewitnesses described a subdued atmosphere in the CBD, with the usually busy streets noticeably quieter.
A South African-born employee who works at one of the businesses said she came to work hoping the business would be open.
“We fear we might lose our jobs if the businesses do not open soon.”
Clusters of business owners gathered, sharing information and expressing concern over the uncertainty in Albany and Buffalo streets.
Some traders said they felt particularly vulnerable, noting that previous unrest in other areas had often spilled into commercial zones, leaving foreign-owned businesses exposed.
Shop owner Desta Anamo, originally from Ethiopia, said he did not understand why other foreign nationals were affected by the alleged coronation.
“We do not deserve such treatment. We mind our own business and abide by the rules of the country.
“We are here to run legal businesses to make a living for ourselves and our families.”
Local authorities had not reported any new incidents of looting, but a police presence remained visible as a precaution.
Community leaders had called for calm and urged residents to avoid targeting businesses, warning that such actions harmed the broader local economy and deepened divisions.
Monday’s violent protests remain under investigation, with officials expected to provide further updates.
The march was organised in protest at the circulation of a video of the coronation of a Nigerian Igbo “king” in the city earlier in March, when Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko was named the Igbo Ndigbo of East London.
The march was organised by the Eastern Cape branch of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA, together with anti-illegal migration organisation, March and March Movement, led by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma.
Daily Dispatch
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