Collen Malatji’s Remarks About Foreigners Owning Spaza Shops Spark Criticism
- The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president, Collen Malatji, stirred a debate after his statements about foreign nationals
- Speaking at the Youth League's 2nd National General Council, he said that foreigners must not own spa shops.
- South Africans slammed the party and accused it of not being proactive in implementing the law and curbing immigration
Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, parliamentary proceedings, and politician-related news, as well as elections, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.
Source: Getty Images
KIMBERLEY, NOTHERN CAPE — The President of the African National Youth League (ANCYL), Collen Malatji, slammed foreign nationals owning spaza shops and spoke against it at the ANCYL's 2nd National General Council in Kimberley, Northern Cape, on 11 September 2025.
Sihle Mavuso posted a clip of Malatji's remarks on his @ZANewsFlash X account. Addressing delegates, Malatji said that the Youth League demands that no foreigner must own spaza shops. He said one cannot move as far as Somalia to sell bubble gum. He said it was not xenophobic to say certain businesses must be set aside for South Africans.
Illegal foreigners must be removed: Malatji
Malatji also said that all illegal foreigners must be removed.
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"We welcome everyone in South Africa, but you must enter legally. You go through border control, you are checked, you come in, and we account for you. The dangers of illegal foreigners are through the border that you can't account gfor them in the country," he said.
Malatji said that illegal foreigners not only pose a security problem but also impact the health and education infrastructure. Malatji also said that it's difficult to account for the government to account for foreign nationals who enter he country illegally, commit a crime, and escape the country.
"South Africans are demanding the removal of illegal immigrants. They're demanding that Home Affairs must end the corruption at home," he said.
View the X clip here:
In April, the Black Business Council warned South Africans not to apply on behalf of foreigners for the Department of Trade, Industry and Development's R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund. The BBC's deputy president, Gregory Mofokeng, said that the fund was meant to allow South Africans to participate in the spaza shop industry.
The Count Me In Movement called for the overhaul of the spaza shop system. The organisation said that the sector is overrun by foreign nationals and has called on the Minister of Small Business Development to reform the sector, as it is difficult for local business owners to access support mechanisms from the government.
Source: Getty Images
What did South Africans say?
Netizens on X were not impressed by his statements.
Tarmy Sizani said:
"And what are they doing to prevent that?"
Thengiwe Zwane said:
"Mxm, you useless ANC. You think we are idiots."
The AFRICAN said:
"From there, they won't mobilise the ANC or go see the spaza shops."
7107 foreigners registered spaza shops
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, revealed that more than 7000 foreign nationals applied to register their spaza shops. He spoke during a press briefing on 28 February 2025.
Maile's briefing came after President Cyril Ramaphosa gave spaza shops a deadline to register their businesses. Maile also noted that foreign nationals must invest R5 million into an existing business or provide proof that they have R5 million in capital contribution.
Source: Briefly News
