Tensions are running high in KwaMashu township, Durban, as angry residents demand that foreign nationals owning spaza shops vacate the area within 21 days, coinciding with the government’s spaza shop registration deadline.
The government’s recent initiative to register spaza shops nationwide has sparked unrest in the township, with locals accusing foreign shop owners of monopolizing the informal trade sector.
Residents argue that the presence of foreign nationals in the spaza market undermines local businesses, leaving many South Africans without opportunities.
“We are giving them the same 21 days the government gave us for spaza registration to leave the township,” said a resident spokesperson during a community meeting.
“They are exploiting our economy and resources while locals struggle to make ends meet.”
Protesters took to the streets, vowing to enforce their demands if no action is taken by the authorities.
Placards and chants calling for foreign nationals to leave echoed throughout KwaMashu.
The situation has placed pressure on local authorities to intervene, with fears of escalating violence if the demands are not addressed.
Law enforcement agencies have been deployed to monitor the area and ensure that tensions do not boil over into xenophobic violence, as seen in past incidents across the country.
Meanwhile, advocacy groups and community leaders have urged calm and dialogue to address the grievances of residents while protecting the rights of all business owners.
The government has yet to comment on the residents’ demands, but officials have emphasized that the registration process is aimed at fostering a fair and regulated spaza shop sector.
The unfolding developments in KwaMashu highlight the broader socio-economic challenges faced in South Africa, where unemployment and limited resources exacerbate competition between local and foreign entrepreneurs in informal economies.