MP Alan Beesley Says ‘Lived Reality’ Shows Most Spaza Shops Foreign-Owned

• ActionSA MP Alan Beesley claimed that spaza shops are predominantly owned by foreign nationals in South Africa
• He said growing protests highlighted public concern over job market competition between South Africans and foreign nationals
• Calls for stricter immigration regulations intensify as foreign-owned businesses impact local employment opportunities and the economy

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

ActionSA member of Parliament Alan Beesley said South Africans do not need formal data to conclude that most spaza shops are owned by foreign nationals. He argued that it is a lived reality reflected in communities across the country.

Foreign nationals replacing South Africans

The ActionSA MP maintained that while there may be limited or incomplete research on whether foreign nationals are replacing South Africans in the job market, many citizens experience this daily. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, he said this perception has fuelled protests and growing calls for the government to take control of the situation instead of leaving communities to respond on their own.

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Beesley pointed to his personal observations in the Cape Town CBD, where he claims that nearly all spaza shops are run by foreign nationals. He said he is unsure of their immigration status, but questions how some can operate businesses despite not speaking English and allegedly trading largely in cash.

According to Beesley, this situation denies South Africans employment opportunities and results in money leaving the country instead of circulating within the local economy. He argued that without stricter enforcement of immigration and business regulations, reliable data will remain difficult to obtain, insisting that the dominance of foreign-owned spaza shops is evident to anyone who walks through affected areas.

What did South Africans say?

Social media users shared their opinions regarding what the MP said.

@Lesciba said:

"Those foreign-owned and run spazas do not even meet the minimum R5 million investment criteria, and the government lets them operate still because they fund the ANC."

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@stent_hohowsky said:

"The question you have to ask is, why do foreigners come here with nothing, open a shop and thrive? Probably because South Africans either don’t have the stomach to start their own business or continue to live off the taxpayer. Entrepreneurship can be taught, but most entrepreneurs are driven."

@Makaezo said:

"The ministry responsible for the industry is very silent on these matters. She’s aware that illegal immigrants are operating in a space meant for locals."

@liberated694921 said:

"After so many kids died, do they still operate?"

@KgosiLalas said:

"We knew that before ActionSA stokvel was formed, what was the solution?"

Sihle Lonzi protests youth unemployment

Briefly News also reported that Sihle Lonzi criticised the government over youth unemployment, noting Gwede Mantashe's comments about it.

The Economic Freedom Fighters' (EFF) Member of Parliament also criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa over the lack of jobs. Social media users shared mixed reactions to the EFF's strategy to address youth joblessness.

Source: Briefly News