Calls for Focus on Local Businesses After Gauteng Woman Accused of Registering Spaza Shops

• A woman from Sebokeng in the Emfuleni Local Municipality is in hot water after a video of her went viral
• in the video, a man accuses her of registering spaza shops illegally, allegedly for undocumented foreigners
• South Africans called for her arrest, and many slammed her alleged behaviour
• The Free State Business Council for Districts's Pheladi Matsole spoke to Briefly News about the local economy and the importance of focusing on local businesses

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

SEBOKENG, GAUTENG — A woman from Sebokeng in the Emfuleni Local Municipality in Gauteng was accused of helping undocumented foreign nationals register spaza shops.

Woman slammed in viral video

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@Tazzman_Dumi posted a video of the woman whom a man confronted. The woman is standing with two men, presumably undocumented foreign nationals. The man who is making the accusations stands in front of them, and a verbal clash ensues.

The man accuses her of holding their documents, which she denies. She then deflects and demands that the person taking the video stop recording her. He asks her why, as a South African, she would help undocumented foreign nationals register for tuck shops. She retorts that she was only collecting information on their behalf.

The man accuses her of earlier telling him that she came to register spaza shops on their behalf. As the two men attempt to slip away, the man shuffles them forward and interrogates them. He asks why they are at the offices, and they claim they came to get information from the woman on registering a spaza shop. He continually berates her for helping them.

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Business Council weighs in on local economy

Speaking to Briefly News, the Free State Business Council for Districts' Pheladi Matsole said the township economy, which supports local entrepreneurs, plays a role in South Africa's economic landscape.

"The lack of regulation in these markets poses significant health risks, particularly to children who may unknowingly consume unsafe food," he said.

He called for the importance of the government to recognise the role of local informal traders in the township economy.

View the video here:

South Africans blast the woman

Netizens were displeased by the woman's alleged actions.

D-The Nailtec said:

"Throw her in jail."

Tazz X said:

"We are crying about this woman and others like her."

Kitso Lefika said:

"My blood is boiling."

Mohlalerwa said:

"The downfall of black people is the love of money."

Langs said:

"They started by marrying illegal foreigners for a mere R20."

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Eastern Cape Spaza shop owners lament as provincial government closes shops down

Foreigners operating spaza shops protest

In a related article, Briefly News reported that undocumented foreign nationals operating spaza shops in the Eastern Cape protested.

They complained that the government did not assist them in processing their applications for asylum status.

Source: Briefly News