Former EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has argued that foreign nationals operating spaza shops have exposed a lack of organisation among South African entrepreneurs, saying their ability to buy goods in bulk and offer competitive prices highlights the challenges facing local businesses.
Ndlozi made the remarks while discussing the ongoing debate over foreign-owned spaza shops and illegal immigration in South Africa.
He argued that even if foreign shop owners were forced to leave the country, the business practices they had introduced would still highlight the need for South Africans to organise themselves more effectively.
“The Pakistanis, you know what they do, they are organised, they buy in bulk, they are able to beat the prices,” Ndlozi said.
He continued by arguing that the situation had exposed a lack of cooperation among black South Africans, whom he accused of prioritising competition with one another instead of working together to build stronger businesses.
“All they are saying to us, even if niyabaxosha kusasa [you chase them away tomorrow], they have exposed that you are not organised.”
Ndlozi’s comments come amid heated disagreements over the role of foreign nationals in South Africa’s informal economy, particularly the ownership of spaza shops in townships.
Ndlozi’s longstanding argument about spaza shops
The former EFF MP has previously argued that the debate should focus on economic organisation and government regulation rather than blaming foreign nationals for the challenges facing township businesses.
During a 2024 public debate with ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, Ndlozi questioned why political leaders concentrated on foreign-owned spaza shops while giving less attention to ownership of major economic sectors, including mines and financial institutions. He also argued that poor regulation of informal businesses was a government failure. (TimesLIVE)
More recently, Ndlozi has criticised anti-immigration campaigns, arguing that concerns about undocumented migration should not be used to justify hostility towards foreign nationals. (briefly.co.za)
His latest remarks place the focus on the business practices of foreign-owned shops, particularly bulk purchasing and price competition, and the need for South African traders to improve their ability to compete.
The comments add another dimension to the debate over spaza shops, which has become closely linked to broader questions about immigration enforcement, township economic development and opportunities for South African entrepreneurs.
