Didn’t achieve much at the greenhouse yesterday as I spent most of the day dodging rubber bullets in the local township. My “Induna” (foreman), “Ziggy” got a call to say that a mob were busy tearing down his house and looting his possesions. He is South African but rents a small outside room from a Malawian family. The mob weren’t interested, as the house was “foreign” so it had to be burnt. I rushed him home just after the mob had left. They were coming back later and if he could produce a South Africam identity book they would spare his room. The mob came down this narrow lane in the local township.
Malawian, Zimbabwian and Somalians are fleeing in vast numbers. Most slept at the police station overnight. I helped an elderly Zimbabwian woman with a single bag of what was left of her possesions escape the township. I fear that a major ethnic cleansing exercise may be playing itself out.
Many foreign workers are sleeping at work in the industrial area, homes and farms, too fearful to return to their homes. They have lost everything as criminal elements just steal everything they own with impunity. I saw a Somalian man have his last tiny bag of clothes casually taken from him by three thugs armed with sticks.
The police have told all foreigners to come to central “safe” areas where their safety can be guaranteed as most areas in the townships are “no-go” areas for these folk.
Unconfirmed rumours are that two local Malawians were beaten to death by mobs on Thursday night.
This is all so sad but we are doing ALL we can to alleviate the suffering of these people. I must stress that what is going on here at the moment is purely criminal and I seriously doubt if any political motives are at play.
GO SHARKS !!!
Synaptoman
S Y N A P T O M A N 