South Africa Xenophobic Attacks: Two Somali citizens killed in Rustenburg

In Rustenburg, South Africa, located 150 km west of Pretoria, armed gangs last night killed two Somali citizens, Abdirahin Hassan Ali and his maternal uncle, Ibrahim Warsame Ibrahim, who were working in the area.

Following the killings, South African police responded to the scene but have not made any arrests.

This incident reflects a broader trend of recurring attacks on Somali workers in South Africa, a situation that continues without substantial intervention.

In the final months of each year, South Africa experiences a significant increase in targeted murders and kidnappings of businesspeople. Criminal researchers attribute this spike to the Christmas holiday season, which they believe increases pressure on gang members.

In early November, two Somali businessmen, identified as Mohamed Dek Mohayaddin and Yusuf Mohamed Taakow, were killed in a xenophobic attack in Cape Town, South Africa. Two months before that, in September, Somali traders Abdulkadir Moalim Maareye and Hassan Hamoud Jaras were attacked in a rural village in the Eastern Cape region.

Xenophobic attacks in South Africa have been an ongoing issue spanning over several decades. Somali shopkeepers are frequently targeted, with dozens killed each year. Community leaders in South Africa report that at least 1,500 Somalis have been murdered in targeted xenophobic attacks over the past 20 years.