• A South African Muslim group criticised foreign shop owners’ threats of “civil war” after pressure to close stores over contaminated food.

• They fear local Muslims could face revenge attacks after a mosque leader was killed and his brother-in-law disappeared.

In what could be a misdirected retaliatory case of mistaken identity, local Muslim business owners have called on Government to deal with foreign national groupings fomenting violence.

South African Muslim business owners fear for their safety after foreign shop owners allegedly threatened “civil war” over pressure to close their stores.

A group calling itself ethiopiasomaliaunited.co.za has made the threats as authorities are cracking down on foreign-owned shops following 800 cases of children getting sick from shop snacks since September.

The Africa and Diaspora Muslims Assembly (Adma) has criticised the threats, which come after a mosque leader was killed in Mpumalanga.

Imam Idris from Kwaggafontein was found with his throat slit after receiving threats. A week later, his brother-in-law disappeared.

“We are deeply perturbed by the direct and brazen threats of war against the people of South Africa,” said Adma interim president Malik Arafat.

“We are urging the South African Muslim community to condemn those responsible. The South African public must not get used to such open or veiled threats against its citizens.”

Adma wants police to arrest those making threats and calls for a boycott of their shops. They are worried that local Muslims could face revenge attacks.

“People in townships regard all of them as the same, some refer to them as ‘abo My Friend’. We fear indigenous Muslims may become easy targets of revenge violence,” said Arafat.

Pictured above: Spaza shop raid.

Source: Doreen Mokgolo