The MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, visited the charred remains of a local convenience store in Orange Farm on Tuesday, following an alleged arson attack that the owner claims was carried out by foreign nationals.
The store, owned by local entrepreneur Xolani Lamani, was set alight on Monday night after he had invested in a significant revamp, transforming it into a small supermarket in June. Lamani reported that the fire was the culmination of weeks of intimidation, including approximately four death threats.
According to Lamani, the threats began shortly after he expanded his business. He recounted receiving a phone call in late June or early July from an unidentified man, who he believed was a Basotho national. The caller allegedly warned Lamani that he was infringing on someone else’s livelihood by opening the supermarket section of his business.
“For the last three and a half years when we were operating the restaurant, nothing happened… It only started happening when we opened this,” Lamani told reporters on the scene.
Despite his attempts to seek help, Lamani stated that his efforts to open a case with the South African Police Service (SAPS) regarding the initial threats were unsuccessful. He said police advised they could not open a case without more concrete details. A case has since been opened for the arson attack.
The incident has had a severe impact on the community, resulting in the loss of jobs for six employees. Lamani emphasized his commitment to legal compliance and community development, starkly contrasting his operation with what he described as unlicensed foreign-owned competitors.
“We are the only business around the area that is compliant with everything… Our tax clearance certificates are valid. As compared to them, they’re not compliant with anything. They don’t employ people from here,” Lamani said.
MEC Maile condemned the attack, calling it a “heartbreaking” and “huge blow” for the province’s efforts to revitalize township economies. He revealed that the Gauteng government, through its enterprise development agency, had previously assisted Lamani with a R570,000 grant to purchase equipment for the store, holding him up as a “pride of our programs.”
“We will not allow a situation where criminality triumphs over hardworking, dedicated entrepreneurs like [Xolani] who are very important players for our economy,” Maile stated.
The MEC called on the police to investigate the matter speedily and urged the community to cooperate with law enforcement. He also addressed the broader issue of unregulated businesses, particularly spaza shops and taverns, pledging to direct inspectors to ensure all local businesses are compliant and legally documented.
While confirming that such attacks are not yet “rife” in the province, Maile warned that they must be “nipped in the bud” to prevent a dangerous precedent. Lamani, who is insured, faces a long road to recovery as the investigation into the fire continues.