Tragic consequences of 'land grab' in Hermanus

“I lost everything. My house was burnt down.”

Malawian national *Dorothy is traumatised. “I only have the clothes on my back‚” says the mother of a toddler whose home was torched at Zwelihle in Hermanus.

Her crime? Defying protesters in the township‚ after a failed land grab at the weekend‚ by going to work. And‚ she says‚ being a foreigner.

Scores of people sought shelter and safety in various parts of the town where police and protestors fought running battles on Monday. Many of them were foreigners‚ who wondered whether xenophobia was the real reason they were targeted.

Dorothy was among more than 100 foreigners who sought refuge at the Ismail and Miriam Ebrahim Islamic Centre.

Describing how the land grab turned violent‚ she said‚ “When I came from work (on Friday) I saw fire coming from the township. I was told that the area is not safe but because my house is there‚ and my husband and child were there‚ I went in anyway.”

There were no tears. But anger and frustration was etched on her face as she explained what happened next.

“There were stones on the road and people were protesting. I woke up on Saturday and things were worse. We were told we could not go to work but I had to go‚” she said.

“Things got so intense when I came from work. I couldn’t sleep‚ couldn’t rest. It was chaos outside. Things went from bad to worse. Everyone became a target and as a foreigner you are especially vulnerable.”

Her home was torched while shops owned by foreigners were looted. Housing protest organiser Masibulele Jimlongo blamed the looting and destruction of property on criminal elements and drug addicts. He said protesters had agreed that property would not be damaged.

“I came to this place to seek refuge. I hope things will die down. I lost everything. My house was burnt down. I only have the clothes on my back. All my documentation‚ it’s gone‚” said Dorothy.

Imam Aslam Tambara said‚ “About 120 people are here. Only foreigners. They started to come here on Monday ….

“Their homes were burnt down. They don’t have clothes or documentation. They had to leave knowing that they would come back to nothing.”

Dorothy told her story as hundreds of people gathered to be addressed by Western Cape DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela who arrived in the town hoping to end the violence on Tuesday.

*Dorothy requested that her identity be protected in case she became a target for retribution after telling her story.