ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has criticized illegal foreign nationals operating spaza shops in South Africa, urging them to apply their work ethic and energy to improve their own countries.
Mashaba’s comments follow the circulation of a video in which a foreign shop owner claimed South Africans lack the dedication to successfully run spaza shops. Responding on social media platform X, Mashaba countered, saying, “Anyone in South Africa illegally must go and work hard to fix their countries. Why run away from your country if you claim to be a hard worker and insult us? South Africa does not need their hard [work].”
Anyone in South Africa illegally, including this one claiming to be a hard worker, MUST go and work hard to fix their countries.
Why run away from your country if you claim to be a hard worker and insult us?
We don't want criminals in our country masquerading as hard workers. https://t.co/QStIYApTLI— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) December 3, 2024
This debate comes amidst a tragic crisis linked to spaza shops, where over 20 children have died and many others were hospitalized after consuming unsafe goods allegedly purchased from these establishments.
The South African government has since announced measures to register and regulate spaza shops, but Mashaba remains firm in his stance that such businesses should be reserved for South African citizens.
On Wednesday, ActionSA led a “Spaza4Locals” march in Soweto, presenting a memorandum to the City of Johannesburg. Addressing the crowd, Mashaba said, “We cannot allow illegal people to come into our country. We don’t know how they came into the country. They are taking our businesses and bringing counterfeit and expired goods to kill our nation.”
Mashaba’s comments have added fuel to ongoing discussions about immigration, local business ownership, and public safety. The government’s new regulatory measures aim to address both the safety concerns and economic competition posed by foreign-operated spaza shops, but the debate continues to divide public opinion.