Congolese salon owner smashes equipment after South African group demands she vacate

According to IOL, a beauty salon in eMthonjaneni became the scene of a dramatic confrontation after a Congolese business owner allegedly destroyed her own equipment when told to vacate the premises, saying she would rather leave with nothing than hand the business over.

Video shows destruction inside salon

In a video shared by Inakho Production, the woman is seen pulling down posters, dragging salon equipment across the floor and ripping mirrors from the walls before smashing them onto the ground. A crowd gathered outside the salon as the incident unfolded, IOL reports.

🚨😳: Disturbing video showing a Mozambican immigrant destroying equipment in her salon after allegedly being asked to forcefully surrender the shop to a South African. 💔 pic.twitter.com/QXB2dOWK1g

Zuvoria (@Zuvoriablog) July 17, 2026

Confrontation linked to demand by South African group

According to IOL, the confrontation allegedly followed demands by a South African business group for the woman to leave the salon to make way for another operator. In the footage, a man can be heard telling the woman: “We’re not here to play games. Take your possessions and give us the keys to the building.”

Woman’s response captured on video

“I would rather you have nothing at all after I destroy everything. If you want to kill me, come with a gun and shoot me,”

According to IOL, that was the woman’s response as the destruction continued.

Dispute over price and equipment valuation

Speaking to Inakho Production, a representative of the business group told reporters the decision to remove the woman was motivated by a desire to have the salon operated by a South African in the KwaZulu-Natal town, according to IOL.

According to IOL, the representative said the woman allegedly demanded R100,000 before she would relinquish the salon. He said the group inspected the salon’s contents to determine whether the equipment justified that amount, and estimated the equipment was worth approximately R10,000. The prospective South African owner, he said, offered to pay that amount; he alleged the woman began destroying the salon and its contents at that point.

What the reporting shows

The IOL report presents video evidence of the destruction, statements from a representative of the business group as relayed to Inakho Production, and notes the presence of bystanders outside the salon. Further details beyond those claims were not provided in the source material.

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Source: iol.co.za