On Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa gave shop owners 21 days to either regularize their businesses or shut down. This directive, aimed at formalizing spaza shops, has sparked protests. On November 17, members of the Operation Dudula movement gathered outside the Jabulani Civic Centre in Soweto, blocking foreign nationals from registering their spaza shops.
Watch video: “Not in Our Country”
Zandile Dabula, leader of Operation Dudula, strongly opposed the registration process. “We’ve witnessed foreign nationals coming here to register their spaza shops,” she said. “The President’s 21-day deadline is not going to happen; we don’t want them here.” Dabula linked spaza shops to rising crime, citing the tragic deaths of 23 children this year, allegedly linked to these businesses. She criticized President Ramaphosa for prioritizing foreign nationals over South African citizens.
City of Johannesburg Responds
The City of Johannesburg clarified its position. Nthatisi Modingoana, a city spokesperson, explained that the registration process is not limited to foreign nationals. “We are assisting all local spaza shop owners,” Modingoana said. The city has also launched operations to ensure compliance, with a focus on removing illegal foreign nationals from the system.
Ongoing Protests
Despite the city’s explanation, Dabula and her supporters remain determined to block foreign nationals from registering. “We will continue stopping them until the 21-day deadline passes,” she said. The tension between local regulations and the protests is escalating, leaving the future of spaza shops and foreign-owned businesses in South Africa uncertain.
