Why we did it: spaza shop looters speak out

About 1 000 foreign-owned shops were damaged and looted during a spate of attacks on foreign traders in Soweto and Kagiso last month. We put some names to the faces of those referred to as ‘the mob’ during the deeply embarrassing attacks that once again pushed the intolerance of South Africans onto the international news agenda.

Six people, including one-month-old baby Ngqobile Majozi, and Siphiwe Mahori, 14, died during the week-long drama.

Police have confirmed that more than 200 people were arrested, 80 are now out on bail, nine were released on warning because they are minors and the rest remain in custody until their next court appearance. But shockingly, several of the key instigators, some of those seen driving from shop to shop with tools used to break in were still walking the streets.

NYAMBOZE NGWENYA:

Last week he was just a man in a brown striped T-shirt, one of the many looters photographed as they ripped and kicked open spaza shops belonging to foreigners in Kagiso, west of Johannesburg.

The angry mob would move from one shop to another, allowing growing crowds to step inside to steal as much as they could.

Tracked down on Wednesday, Nyamboze Ngwenya proudly declared that he was in the mob. He was unashamed and unapologetic. "I did what I did because I was giving back to the community," he said.

Bangladeshi Mohammed Manik owns Lucky Shop, one of those attacked by Ngwenya's mob last week.

He said he lost stock worth R15000 during the incident.

But more than that, he felt betrayed.

He is afraid of the very people he used to help in that community along Sebenzisa Street.

Ngwenya used to be one of those customers. The 37-year-old cigarette hawker, who operates within walking distance of Manik's shop, was back in business on Wednesday.

"I'm making more money now that all the spaza shops are closed," he said.

Ngwenya (below) was among a group of six men who, once inside the shop, were seen passing soft drinks, bread and packets of chips to those in the crowd outside.

He "enjoyed" everything he did on that day.

"It felt good, seeing people smile when I gave them sweets. I did not keep any for myself, everything I managed to pull out of the shop, I gave it to the community," he said.

"This was our way of showing we don't want these people here. We don't know where they come from. Who knows, one day they will drop a bomb and kill us all. They must leave our townships and go back home," he said.

He tried to make an argument to justify his actions, explaining that his friends were battling to register businesses.

The foreign traders, he believes, were not paying taxes.

"They don't even use our banks. We buy from them every day, but you will never see them helping a local school or with community projects. They do not contribute anything to the country," he said.

Although police made dozens of arrests in connection with last week's attacks, Ngwenya was not among those.

Krugersdorp police spokesman Solomon Sibiya said 38 people were arrested last week for public violence, business burglary, theft and possession of stolen goods. The arrests related to attacks on 22 spaza shops in the greater Kagiso area.

Police refused to provide the names or details of those arrested , but confirmed they all appeared in court on Tuesday and, with the exception of children who were released into the custody of their parents, they remain in custody until their next appearance.

THULANI:

He cuts a wisp-like figure as he floats about Meadowlands, his face grey. He's been a drug addict for nine years, meaning he's "manged" (gone to jail) "plenty times".

"For me to get high, someone has to cry," said 24-year-old Thulani.

While the xenophobic attacks on foreign shopkeepers were taking place, young men were driving around, rounding up nyaope addicts, including Thulani.

"They had the tools to break into the place. They picked us up. First they'd break the burglar bars and take stuff. Then the rest of us would follow," said Thulani.

These "instigators" targeted airtime and cigarettes. The drug addicts would follow and grab mealie meal, sugar, cooking oil, "anything that even if people have it in their house, they will buy".

He sold the stolen items in the area around the looted shop. He can't recall how much he made because the money immediately went to buying drugs.

"See, I've moved past that phase now of stealing from my parents. If I did that, there'd be no one to visit me in the 'mang'," he said.

Thulani has no opinion on foreign shop owners and simply saw the opportunity to steal from these businesses as a way to feed his habit.

NEO:

Neo's mother was shocked when shown a photograph of her daughter among a group of people carrying looted goods from Makies Tuck Shop in Meadowlands, Soweto.

"For a cool drink?!" she exclaimed, incredulous.

She shares a corrugated-iron room with her daughter just metres from the tuck shopwhere the incident took place.

Neo, a Grade 11 pupil, has dreams of one day becoming a chartered accountant and believes she is a role model to other young people, "despite my disposition" - a reference to her economic status.

"In two years, at this time, it's university. Then I'm outta here," she said with no lack of swag.

A small group of relatives and neighbours arrived . Shown the photograph, the 17-year-old girl initially looked embarrassed, but quickly recovered.

She was on her way home from school when some of her school friends suggested they check out the action in Zone5, she said. She declined.

Later, closer to home, they encountered the mob attacking Makies Tuck Shop.

"Somebody had a crate of cold drinks. He gave me one. I was thirsty," said Neo.

But Sunday Times photographer James Oatway, who photographed Neo, cool drink bottle in hand, said she was among a mob of people who rushed into the yard at Makies Tuck Shop and emerged with loot.

Her family have warned her to "stay away from those places".

KGOGO:

After days of driving around zones 7, 8 and 9 in Meadowlands, Soweto, word had spread that the Sunday Times crew were police officers in disguise, prompting some of the identified looters to take flight.

A man identifying himself only as Kgogo came up the street, his seven-year-old daughter on his back. Leafing through the pictures of people, including himself, milling around a looted shop, his hands were clearly trembling.

"Before you arrived, the guys on the corner warned me police were looking for me," he said. "I was not part of it. I was coming from work."

He said he could not identify any other people in the photographs.

trompb@sundaytimes.co.za, ndabenik@sundaytimes.co.za