By Palesa Matlala
- Violent attackers beat Dumisani Nobela and stole his money because the Orlando East man refused to sell his family business.
- Two men visited the Orlando East spaza shop in January 2026 and ordered Dumisani Nobela to close his family business.
Dumisani Nobela lost his job in 2025 and took over his father’s spaza shop in Orlando East to support his elderly parents. Now, the 44-year-old is fighting to keep his doors open after surviving a hit on his life.
Nobela used his unemployment payout to buy stock. His father originally opened the shop to make extra money, but the family later closed it and relied on their salaries. They reopened the business after facing retirement and job losses.
“Our shop was broken into three times already. I was then approached by two Pakistani men who wanted to buy the shop,” Nobela said.
He refused to sell. Soon after, attackers beat him and stole his cellphone and money.
“My attackers told me that they were sent to force me into selling the shop. I refused and they threatened to take it forcefully,” he said.
The threats continued in January 2026 when two Ethiopian men came to the shop.
“The spaza shop belongs to them, so we must close it or they’ll deal with us,” he said.
South African Spaza Shop Association president Kgothatso Ramautswa said these attacks form part of a growing crisis affecting township and rural areas.
“They have seen an opportunity to also kidnap and demand a ransom from business owners, both in foreign and South African communities,” Ramautswa said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa used his Freedom Day speech to ask for restraint and warn citizens against xenophobia. He reminded the country that other African nations supported South African liberation fighters.
“It cannot be, and it must never be, that we trample into the dust the African fellowship that made our freedom possible,” Ramaphosa said.
Pictured above: A spaza shop.
Image source: File
