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Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s daughter-in-law Nkateko Khoza has lost merchandise worth over R150 000 from vandalism and looting during xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg.
Her clothing store Lufi-D, located in the Maboneng Precinct, was one of the many outlets in the region that were broken into and looted on Sunday.
Khoza’s high-profile clientele includes her mother-in-law, Natasha Thahane and Penny Lebyane.
Protesters smashed the window, trashed the store, broke equipment and stole clothing.
“They managed to break a lot of stores there, but others had strong windows so they couldn’t go through. With my store, they managed to go through and they took everything — the whole stock,” Khoza said.
“Within five minutes they were done. When I got there a few guys were still around, walking up and down and doing as they please.
“We tried to reason with them that we are the owners and we are your fellow South Africans. They said ‘we don’t care, we want to show you what vandalism is’. These are angry people,” Khoza said.
She has been forced to temporarily close her other store located in the Fashion District in the CBD out of fear that she will lose more stock.
Khoza is not planning to open a police case.
“Police were there on site on Monday and they just went through every store checking which store was affected and writing down what was taken,” she said.
Chaka Chaka has expressed outrage over the store being looted.
“I am dumbfounded, confused and frustrated and have lost faith.
People protesting broke into my daughter’s shop and looted,” she wrote on Instagram.
“All in the name of foreigners must leave SA.
No man is an island my fellow brothers and sisters, we all need each other.
“Mr President, do something. Mr (Bheki) Cele, do something. What is this world coming to? Life has become so cheap; no respect for life and for one another. God have mercy.”
Maboneng Precinct steering committee member and Love Revo restaurant owner Senzo Mncadi said the attacks have had a bad impact on their businesses.
“The attacks have affected Maboneng poorly. I’m scared to open my restaurant out of fear of being attacked. Many restaurants have closed too. A lot of tourists cancelled this weekend and we lost a lot of business.” —sowetan.
Online Reporter