The fear of being killed by militant group al-Shabaab in Somalia was the reason Sadik Farah fled from his country to live in South Africa.
Farah has been living happily in East London for 10 years where he runs a restaurant named after his home city, Kismayo.
Kismayo is a port city in the southern Lower Juba province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region and is also an al-Shabaab stronghold.
At his North End restaurant, Farah said selling Somalian cuisine reminded him of home.
“We left our country because we were running away from the civil war in Somalia and so we decided to flee to South Africa and we have settled here. Our country has many problems,” he said.
Farah lives here with his wife and three children aged 10-months, two and three years. “My mother, my sisters and my brothers are still in Somalia and I have to support them. That is why I am working hard because I need to help my people.
“I mostly work 15-hour days because hard work is the only way to take care of my people,” Farah added.
He co-owns the restaurant with friend and fellow countryman Agaf Qadar.
“I have been in South Africa for almost 10 years. This country is developed, beautiful and peaceful,” Farah said. “We want xenophobia to end because South Africa is our only hope. We want to stay here forever. We are not causing trouble for anyone. We just want to support our people.”
For the restaurant, they buy South African products to cook their Somalian dishes. Their most popular is Canjera, which is a roti with meat on the side.
“We make different dishes and the most ingredients we buy are flour, rice, spaghetti, mutton, vegetables and lots of spices,” he added.
Tina Loyilani, a South African from Thembini location near King William’s Town, is married to one of the men.
“I grew up here in the Eastern Cape making samp and beans and I never thought I would ever make this kind of food. When I first tasted it I did not like it but as time passed I enjoyed it. Now I can cook it without being directed, I love it,” she said.
Loyilani said she was initially ashamed of wearing traditional Somali clothing. Friends and family teased her, but all that changed. “Now I wear my clothes with pride. Even when I go to my family in the village, I dress like this. Xenophobia must stop. Our children cannot be separated from their fathers and I also do not want to be away from my husband.” — siyab@dispatch.co.za
We fled to SA ‘our only hope’
Farah has been living happily in East London for 10 years where he runs a restaurant named after his home city, Kismayo.
Kismayo is a port city in the southern Lower Juba province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region and is also an al-Shabaab stronghold.
At his North End restaurant, Farah said selling Somalian cuisine reminded him of home.
“We left our country because we were running away from the civil war in Somalia and so we decided to flee to South Africa and we have settled here. Our country has many problems,” he said.
Farah lives here with his wife and three children aged 10-months, two and three years. “My mother, my sisters and my brothers are still in Somalia and I have to support them. That is why I am working hard because I need to help my people.
“I mostly work 15-hour days because hard work is the only way to take care of my people,” Farah added.
He co-owns the restaurant with friend and fellow countryman Agaf Qadar.
“I have been in South Africa for almost 10 years. This country is developed, beautiful and peaceful,” Farah said. “We want xenophobia to end because South Africa is our only hope. We want to stay here forever. We are not causing trouble for anyone. We just want to support our people.”
For the restaurant, they buy South African products to cook their Somalian dishes. Their most popular is Canjera, which is a roti with meat on the side.
“We make different dishes and the most ingredients we buy are flour, rice, spaghetti, mutton, vegetables and lots of spices,” he added.
Tina Loyilani, a South African from Thembini location near King William’s Town, is married to one of the men.
“I grew up here in the Eastern Cape making samp and beans and I never thought I would ever make this kind of food. When I first tasted it I did not like it but as time passed I enjoyed it. Now I can cook it without being directed, I love it,” she said.
Loyilani said she was initially ashamed of wearing traditional Somali clothing. Friends and family teased her, but all that changed. “Now I wear my clothes with pride. Even when I go to my family in the village, I dress like this. Xenophobia must stop. Our children cannot be separated from their fathers and I also do not want to be away from my husband.” — siyab@dispatch.co.za
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