Cape Town – Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie has voiced concerns about the risks of delaying deportations of undocumented spaza shop owners, suggesting it could incite vigilantism.
McKenzie argued the government’s inaction may embolden locals to take the law into their own hands.
Citing recent child deaths allegedly linked to tainted food from unlicensed shops, he called for the immediate closure of these businesses, stating the hazards they pose.
“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.
We are unknowingly encouraging attacks against illegal spaza shopowners by not acting & deporting them. Our inaction is a direct instruction that people should take law in own hands. These shopowners are terrorist and killers. Let us close all this shops now before more kids die.
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) November 12, 2024
“These shop owners are terrorists and killers. Let us close all these shops now before more kids die,” McKenzie wrote on X.
This comes amid growing reports of food contamination incidents in township spaza shops, some run by foreign nationals.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/ @MinisterMcK
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
