Soweto Shuts Down Foreign-Owned Shops After Kids Died Of Food Poisoning

“WE don’t want aboMyfriend (foreign nationals).”

Residents of Naledi Extension, in Soweto, are up in arms and have embarked on an operation to shut down spaza shops owned by foreign nationals ekasi (in townships).

On Tuesday, 8 October, spaza shop owners (kiosks) were forced to vacate their shops.

This follows the death of five pupils aged six to nine, who died after consuming snacks bought at a local spaza shop on Sunday, 6 October.

Operation Dudula (Operation Cleanup) member, Dineo Lebethe, told Daily Sun they feel as if the government has turned a blind eye on what’s happening and not helping.

“This is the second time an incident like this has happened. We’re here again because five kids have died. We want these people to take their things and go, never to come back to Naledi. We’re opposing the issue of undocumented foreign nationals running spaza shops in our country. We don’t benefit anything from this,” Dineo said.

She said undocumented foreign nationals do as they please in Mzansi (South Africa), taking advantage of the country’s porous borders.

“South Africa’s the only place where undocumented foreigners have rights,” she said.

“We’re not protected. It’s painful that even when kids die, nothing is done. We no longer want these people in our country. Enough is enough.”

A community member told Daily Sun they’ve been complaining about spaza shop owners selling food that has long expired, for so long.

Operation Dudula members stressed that community members should stand united and stop housing aboMyfriend.

Spaza Shop and Tuck Shop Association Secretary and Head of Business Development, Sbusiso Ngcobo, slammed a lack of compliance, blaming the government for not inspecting and regulating the sector.