Hiiraan Online

Johannesburg (HOL) - A court in Mpumalanga has sentenced a man to prison after he pleaded guilty to attempted business robbery. The Somali shop owner courageously defended his business against the failed armed robbery, during which one of the robbers was killed and the other was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The incident occurred on December 30, 2021, in Leslie, Mpumalanga, 100 km east of Johannesburg, when Thabo Thomas Mayisa and two accomplices attempted to rob the Somali shop owner and his brother. Mayisa and one accomplice entered the shop while the third suspect waited in a Renault Megane getaway car with Gauteng registration numbers.

Police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala said, "the business owner's brother was struck in the back with an object. Subsequently, both victims were held hostage. The robbers demanded cash, but the shop owner managed to distract Mayisa's accomplice by pointing to where the money was kept."

The shop owner took advantage of the distraction, drawing his firearm and shooting the accomplice multiple times, resulting in his death. The owner also shot Mayisa in the thigh before he fled the scene with the driver, leaving behind their fatally injured accomplice and a firearm.

After receiving a tip, police found Mayisa in the hospital, where he was being treated for his gunshot wound. The driver was never located.

Mayisa denied knowing the driver in court, claiming they had only hired him for the failed robbery attempt. Nevertheless, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for business robbery on March 23, 2023, at the Evander Regional Court.

The incident underscores the risks Somali shop owners face in South Africa, who are often targeted by criminals due to their perceived wealth.

 

The Somali Community Board of South Africa, a civic group monitoring attacks on the country's foreign nationals, estimates that hundreds of attacks on Somali-owned businesses in South Africa have occurred in the past decade, with many resulting in fatalities. The board has repeatedly called for increased protection for Somali shop owners and for more action to address the underlying issues behind the attacks.