Patriotic Alliance leader and Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie called for closure of spaza shops. Picture: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has expressed grave concerns, claiming that delaying the deportation of illegal spaza store owners unintentionally leads to an increase in attacks against them.
McKenzie, who has advocated for the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, argued that the government's inaction sent a dangerous message, potentially encouraging affected citizens to take the law into their own hands.
The Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture has urged for the urgent closure of these businesses in light of the significant hazards that children face when tainted and expired food goods are sold in unlicensed spaza stores believed to be run by foreign nationals.
“We are unknowingly encouraging attacks against illegal spaza shop owners by not acting and deporting them. Our inaction is a direct instruction that people should take the law into their own hands.
“These shop owners are terrorists and killers. Let us close all these shops now before more kids die,” McKenzie voiced his frustrations on X.
Recently, a number of young individuals in townships across the country have died, with many speculating that these incidents are linked to a series of food contamination events.
Multiple reports have connected these cases to the consumption of food from local spaza shops.
The most recent incident involved 10-year-old Alexandra resident Lesedi Maaboi, who was admitted to the hospital after being quite ill, along with her mother and four-year-old brother.
Maaboi died after apparently eating chips from a local spaza business and suffering from chest symptoms.
Government authorities have promised intervene and put the matter to rest.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics
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