Finance MEC Lebogang Maile Visits Soweto After Looting, SA Disinterested

• Gauteng's MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, will visit two areas affected by looting
• He will visit Sharpeville in Vanderbijlpark and Naledi in Soweto after two separate incidents sparked looting in those townships
• Maile will visit the families of the children who died after allegedly eating poisoned food from foreign-owned spaza shops

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

GAUTENG — Gauteng's Economic Development and Finance MEC Lebogang Maile will meet with township residents in Soweto and Sharpeville following separate incidents of looting.

Maile to make post-looting visits

According to eNCA, Maile's visits occurred after two incidents in Gauteng over the past few weeks. Six children died after consuming allegedly poisoned food bought at foreign-owned spaza shops. The second looting incident occurred in Sharpeville after a local spaza shop owner had reportedly been killed by a foreign national.

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Maile also met with members of the community who raised the issue of foreigners owning spaza shops in townships more than residents, which some believe was a catalyst for the lootings that happened. Locals also said they should be empowered to own more businesses than foreigners in townships.

SA not impressed

South Africans on Facebook were not moved by Maile's visit.

Thulani KaMagalela said:

"Very reactionary and trying to be relevant. Three weeks from now, and this will be history."

Nthabiseng Nthabee Auds said:

"Give it one month. It'll all be forgotten, and the spaza shop owners will go about their business as usual."

Our Township Patriots said:

"Our government officials are clearly protecting foreign nationals owning spaza shops in our communities."

Lucad Kubayi said:

"They wait until something happens."

John Nkhumise said:

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Mohale Motaung calls for closure of illegal spaza shops amid mounting food poisoning reports

"ANC is poisonous to the citizens of this country. Let us thank the GNU for changing the play, but we have to make sure the ANC is out of the government in the 2029 elections."

Sharpeville spaza shop owner's family wants answers

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the family of the spaza shop owner who was gunned down in Sharpeville demanded answers.

His sister accused the South African Police Service of not being forthcoming with information about the case's progress.

Source: Briefly News