Last night, President Ramaphosa addressed the nation on the foodborne illnesses, and his remarks were a stark reminder of his administration’s tone-deafness. In a brazen display of ignorance, he absolved foreign nationals of any responsibility for the tragic deaths of over 20 children, including the six Soweto youngsters whose lives were cut short.
This is not only a gross oversight but also a slap in the face to the families of the victims. The President’s failure to acknowledge the role of foreign nationals in the spaza shop industry and the devastating consequences of their illegal operations is a dereliction of duty.
As a lawyer, President Ramaphosa should be well aware that foreign nationals are required to invest a minimum of R5 million to operate a business legally in South Africa. Yet, he chooses to ignore this fact and instead calls for the registration of spaza shops, a move that will only serve to legitimize the illegal operations of foreign nationals.
This is not the first time that President Ramaphosa has demonstrated his ignorance on this issue. During his recent oversight visits, he asked a foreign national running a spaza shop about their business and turnover, seemingly oblivious to the fact that this individual was likely operating outside the law.
The President’s call for spaza shop owners to register their businesses is nothing more than a hollow promise. We all know that foreign nationals will continue to operate illegally, bribing government officials to turn a blind eye. Our people are poor and vulnerable, often exploited by these foreign nationals who use them to obtain citizenship through marriage.
In the same way that foreign nationals paid many South Africans to fake marriages for citizenship, spaza shops will be registered by poor South Africans for foreign nationals because they desperately need the money. This is not a solution to the problem; it is merely a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
The President’s announcement of a R500 million investment to support spaza shop owners and vendors is nothing new. These grants have been around for years, but instead of benefiting South Africans, they have been misused by officials, further exacerbating the pressure on our people. And as usual, the President even failed to allocate these measures to only people legally allowed to operate spaza shops, South Africans.
ActionSA Gauteng Youth Forum Laments Ramaphosa’s Reckless Ignorance: A Betrayal of South Africa’s Children
Last night, President Ramaphosa addressed the nation on the foodborne illnesses, and his remarks were a stark reminder of his administration’s tone-deafness. In a brazen display of ignorance, he absolved foreign nationals of any responsibility for the tragic deaths of over 20 children, including the six Soweto youngsters whose lives were cut short.
This is not only a gross oversight but also a slap in the face to the families of the victims. The President’s failure to acknowledge the role of foreign nationals in the spaza shop industry and the devastating consequences of their illegal operations is a dereliction of duty.
As a lawyer, President Ramaphosa should be well aware that foreign nationals are required to invest a minimum of R5 million to operate a business legally in South Africa. Yet, he chooses to ignore this fact and instead calls for the registration of spaza shops, a move that will only serve to legitimize the illegal operations of foreign nationals.
This is not the first time that President Ramaphosa has demonstrated his ignorance on this issue. During his recent oversight visits, he asked a foreign national running a spaza shop about their business and turnover, seemingly oblivious to the fact that this individual was likely operating outside the law.
The President’s call for spaza shop owners to register their businesses is nothing more than a hollow promise. We all know that foreign nationals will continue to operate illegally, bribing government officials to turn a blind eye. Our people are poor and vulnerable, often exploited by these foreign nationals who use them to obtain citizenship through marriage.
In the same way that foreign nationals paid many South Africans to fake marriages for citizenship, spaza shops will be registered by poor South Africans for foreign nationals because they desperately need the money. This is not a solution to the problem; it is merely a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
The President’s announcement of a R500 million investment to support spaza shop owners and vendors is nothing new. These grants have been around for years, but instead of benefiting South Africans, they have been misused by officials, further exacerbating the pressure on our people. And as usual, the President even failed to allocate these measures to only people legally allowed to operate spaza shops, South Africans.