Delportshoop calls for closure of foreign-owned businesses

DELPORTSHOOP community members, along with Operation Fiela, held a peaceful march this week demanding the immediate closure of all foreign-owned businesses, including tuck shops, taverns, hardware stores, cellphone repair shops, supermarkets, and hair salons.

Residents gave authorities a seven-day deadline on November 7 to respond to their grievances, warning that failure to do so would compel them to "take matters into their own hands".

Community members expressed that foreigners should only be permitted to operate businesses if they invest a minimum of R5 million in the country.

Memorandums were handed over to various entities, including the Department of Home Affairs, Department of Health, Department of Safety, Security and Liaison, Department of Minerals and Energy, the South African Police Service, the Liquor Board, Consumer Court, Frances Baard District Municipality, Dikgatlong Local Municipality, the Public Protector, Vaal Gamagara, and Afrisam.

Community members stated that only locals should be allowed to operate as informal traders in enterprises such as salons, spaza shops, and vegetable stands.

They stressed that tuck shops must comply with consumer and municipal by-laws as well as health and safety regulations, ensuring that goods are sourced from approved suppliers and that premises are kept sanitary and well-maintained.

“The unit should be dust proof. Tightly closable rubbish bins must be provided. Non-absorbing shelves should be provided. No food is allowed to be on the floor. General hygiene should be practised at all times. No sleeping is allowed in the tuck shop,” they said.

Consumers insisted on market-related prices and the right to return and be reimbursed for unsuitable goods.

The memorandum also claimed that authorities were protecting foreign-owned businesses, citing instances where children were reportedly able to purchase alcohol from spaza shops, while local drug dealers operated with impunity.

Other community concerns included slow emergency response times, the lack of chronic medication at the local clinic, and the “worrisome” quality of the water.

Ronelle Herbenkerzen, provincial chairperson of the Unmute Civil Society Coalition South Africa and an additional member of the Delportshoop Community Forum, shared that community meetings held over the past few weeks brought critical concerns to light.

She noted that a petition signed by over 450 residents urged immediate action on issues of food safety after children and residents reportedly suffered from food poisoning caused by counterfeit and expired goods from spaza shops.

“Cases of food poisoning are emerging on a daily basis countrywide, where our children become sick or even die from snacks and food purchased from these foreign-owned tuck shops. We had two incidents in Delportshoop where both children fell ill after eating cookies that were bought from these shops. The children were rushed to hospital and were diagnosed with food poisoning.”

Herbenkerzen also alleged that foreigners were exploiting the youth by selling drugs and prostituting young girls.

She stated that multiple tuck shops were registered under one person’s name and were operating under unhygienic conditions, with owners living and working on the same premises.

“Many shop owners are overcharging for electricity, airtime, and cash-back transactions,” Herbenkerzen added.