By Thabo Monyela
LERETJENI- The 23-year-old Ethiopian national business stood his grounds and took a bullet to keep his store closed when four armed African men stormed and demanded that he open the shop.
It is alleged that the Ethiopian businessman was on his way from the toilet, when four armed African men approached Mapulaneng General shop at Leretjeni village in Greater Tzaneen and surrounded him to demand the keys to open the shop.
The brave Ethiopian shopkeeper refused to accede to the robbers demands and the thugs whipped him with a gun on the head in response and further shot him on the heel as he persisted with his refusal.
According to a source with intimate details on the incident, the thugs fled and left the business owner unconscious without getting an access to the shop, as they realized that time was no longer with them.
According to the source, by the time the incident occurred they were still few usual customers hanging around the shop, who then ran for their lives as the armed robbers approached.
The victim is currently recuperating at the hospital.
The attempted store robbery happened on Wednesday night, after another robbery Ethiopian store robbery took place on Tuesday midnight at Mopje village in the same cluster (Relela).
Tzaneen Police communication Officer Sgt Maurice Nkwashu said the police investigations on the two cases are underway as the suspects are unknown and still at large and appeals to anyone with information to come forward.
