CAPE TOWN, (HAN) — A Somalia businessman was shot dead Tuesday in Cape Town’s Philippi township, marking the latest in a string of deadly attacks targeting Somali traders in South Africa.
Witnesses said the victim, identified as Shool Mohamed Cadde, was inside his shop when armed assailants stormed in and opened fire without warning. Cadde died instantly, while a Malawian employee working at the shop was also fatally shot.
Local residents told reporters that the attackers did not steal cash or goods, suggesting that the incident was a targeted killing rather than a robbery. The gunmen fled the scene before South African Police Service (SAPS) officers arrived.
Authorities in Western Cape Province have launched an investigation, but as of Thursday, no arrests had been made. Police spokespersons declined to comment on a possible motive, saying the inquiry was still in its early stages.
The killing adds to growing fears among Somali immigrants, who have long faced xenophobic violence and criminal attacks in South Africa. Dozens of Somali shopkeepers have been killed in recent years, particularly in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Johannesburg, where small Somali-run convenience stores are common in low-income neighborhoods.
Community leaders said the murder highlights the lack of protection and accountability for foreign traders.
“This was a cold-blooded execution,” said a Somali community elder in Cape Town, who requested anonymity for security reasons. “Our people are dying every month, and no one is being held responsible.”
According to local rights groups, Somali traders often become targets of both criminal gangs and anti-immigrant hostility, while government responses have been slow and inconsistent.
The Federal Government of Somalia has not yet commented on Cadde’s killing, and Somali expatriates say they feel abandoned by their homeland’s authorities. Community organizations have repeatedly called on Mogadishu to engage the South African government through diplomatic channels to improve protection for Somali nationals.
“We have written letters, held protests, and asked for help,” said one Somali trader in the area. “But our pleas fall on deaf ears. We are living in fear every day.”
Despite multiple appeals, no significant policy changes have been made by South African authorities to curb the wave of violence.
Somali businesspeople play a key economic role in many South African townships, running grocery shops and small-scale retail outlets that serve local communities. However, many now say they are considering closing their shops or leaving the country altogether due to insecurity.
