Soweto Residents Protect Shops Belonging to Foreign Nationals

• A Dobsonville homeowner defended her foreign tenants after spaza shop owners in parts of Soweto resumed operations following anti-illegal migrant protests
• The anonymous landlady said foreign-owned spaza shops provide informal credit lines that protect local households from financial hardship
• Tenants Selamu Masebo and Fereju Lobango hold asylum seeker and refugee status, respectively, but could not produce a municipal trading permit at the time

SOWETO — A Dobsonville homeowner has spoken out in support of foreign spaza shop operators after traders in parts of Soweto returned to regular business following a period of disruption caused by anti-illegal migrant protests.

According to TimesLIVE, the anonymous landlady made her remarks during recent site visits to the Dobsonville area, where the shop owners were restocking inventory into local containers, according to the Sowetan. She identified her tenants as Selamu Masebo and Fereju Lobango, describing their presence as indispensable to the surrounding community.

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Credit lines and convenience keep locals loyal

Central to the homeowner's defence was the role the shops play in extending informal credit to neighbouring households. She argued that without access to these arrangements, many families would face genuine financial strain. She added that residents benefit from being able to purchase daily essentials such as bread, milk, and eggs from nearby yards, sparing them the cost and effort of travelling further afield for basic goods.

The landlady also stated that the two operators respect community agreements and conduct themselves without incident. On a personal level, she acknowledged that the R4,500 monthly rental income from the tenants contributes meaningfully to her own household's finances.

Permits missing, legal status mixed

Despite local support, questions about the operators' formal compliance remain. Masebo holds refugee status, while Lobango carries a temporary asylum seeker visa. However, neither man was able to present a valid municipal business trading permit during the site visit, with both claiming the document had been left at their home address.

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Some community members have raised concerns that the operators may be running their businesses outside legal requirements, but the homeowner and other residents in the area indicated they remain firmly behind the traders regardless of those criticisms.

New spaza shop opened and celebrated

Similarly, Briefly News reported on a South African TikToker, Carly Promise, who celebrated the opening of her new spaza shop amid rising anti-illegal immigration sentiments. The post, shared shortly before nationwide protests, sparked significant online debate regarding the sustainability and legality of her venture in a competitive retail environment.

Source: Briefly News