Uncertainty and Tension as Ethiopian and Somali Business Ties Strain in Port Elizabeth. By Mohamed Kosow Salat For years, Somali-owned wholesale stores in Korsten have supported hundreds of Ethiopian and Somali spaza shop owners in Port Elizabeth’s informal settlements. This long-standing business relationship is now under strain. Earlier this week, the Ethiopian Business Committee in Port Elizabeth warned Ethiopian shop owners to stop buying from Somali qowned wholesalers in Korsten. The message spread quickly through informal trading networks, leaving many Ethiopian business owners confused and anxious. "I don’t understand why this decision was made,” said one Ethiopian spaza shop owner, who asked to remain anonymous. “The Somali wholesalers are our main suppliers. Without them, our businesses cannot survive." The committee has not publicly explained why they issued the warning. This lack of information adds to the uncertainty about how long the boycott may la...