A Phoenix salon owner says he suspects business rivalry after his premises was damaged in an alleged petrol-bomb attack.
Police are also investigating the stabbing of a Pakistani shopkeeper in Malvern.
Moon Subhari, 32, of Izinga Ridge, in Umhlanga said he was woken up at 1.30am on Thursday to the news that his business, King ZZ Barber and Salon, on Lenham Drive, had been petrol bombed.
“I got a call from a local security company and residents on Lenham Drive in the early hours of Thursday morning. They told me my salon was on fire. When I got there around 2.30am I saw the police, fire department and the security company at the scene,” said Subhari.
Garreth Naidoo, Spokesperson for KZN VIP Protection Services said response officers were dispatched after the alarm was activated at the salon.
“On arrival officers noticed smoke billowing out of the salon. It is suspected that a petrol bomb was thrown into the salon, causing a fire and extensive damage to the interior. The exact circumstances remain under investigation,” said Naidoo.
The post.co.za visited the salon on Thursday which was extensively damaged by the fire.
The word f##k was emblazoned across a wall mirror.
Subhari estimated the damage to his business to be around R175,000.
“When I see the damages, I feel like crying. I worked so hard to build this business. I opened my salon in September. On September 23, I was burgled at around 4.30am. My hair straighteners, hair dryers and products were stolen,” he said.
Subhari who has lived in South Africa for the past 15 years and is married to a South African woman, said he did not believe this incident was motivated by xenophobia.
“My business was booming. I suspect other a rival business is behind this bombing because they are jealous of my success. They should not damage the businesses of people who are working hard to progress,” added Subhari.
He said a witness claimed that a person had jumped over the perimeter wall, broke the salon door opened, and threw a petrol bomb inside.
Subhari is determined to continue with his business. He plans on rebuilding his salon from Monday.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the Malvern Police are investigating a case of attempted murder after a Pakistani national was stabbed at the back of his shop in Malvern.
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza said: “A 55-year-old man was attacked by an unknown man after an argument. The victim sustained a stab wound and was taken to hospital for medical attention,”
He said no arrests have been made.
An Amawele Emergency Services statement said medics called out to the scene found “a Pakistani national lying on his shop floor with a serious stab wound to his back.”