“At Least You Were Respectful”: Kasi Man Goes Around Shutting Foreign Nationals’ Spaza Shops

• A Johannesburg man went around his neighbourhood checking which spaza shops were still open during the "mabahambe" protests
• He found two foreign-owned shops operating and called for them to shut down, while a third had already closed
• South Africans in the comments were divided, with some praising his approach and others asking what comes next for communities

A Johannesburg man took to the streets on 1 July 2026 to check on spaza shops in his area after the "mabahambe" (they must go) massive protests, which have called on foreign nationals to return to their home countries. TikTok user @gubithebrother_29 walked through the neighbourhood, stopping at spaza shops to see which ones were still trading.

Spaza shop closures spark debate

The man found two open and operating, and confronted the owners directly, calling for them to close their doors. A third shop he visited had already shut. What set his actions apart was how the man carried himself throughout. He did not become aggressive and, at some point, allowed the owner to close after serving a customer.

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Watch the TikTok video that sparked the debate here.

Mzansi discusses the calls for foreign nationals' spaza closures

The comments captured exactly what many South Africans are wrestling with: frustration over economic exclusion on one side, and real uncertainty about who will fill the gap on the other.

User @Perfectionmaad asked:

"Then what next after closing 🤔👍? Then what?"

User @user15272454293230 suggested:

"Please go there next week Thursday again."

User @gogo mahlalaentabeni raised a concern:

"Is there anyone who can open a tuck shop to help the community, please? Let's not just close these shops and not create an alternative for our people."

User @La_Waters wrote:

"I respect you so much for doing this 🥺"

User @Washagang added:

"At least you were respectful."

3 Briefly News immigrant protest-related articles

• A group of foreign nationals were escorted out of KwaZulu-Natal after community members were told that there were no keys to open the door at the neighbourhood home.
• A Ghanaian repatriate showed off severe physical scars he alleged to have sustained during immigration protests in Mzansi, sparking a massive online debate.
• A young Zimbabwean man who has lived in South Africa for 25 years shared an emotional post online, expressing his gratitude towards the country for providing him with shelter and education.

Source: Briefly News