Foreign spaza shop owners warned to leave Ulundi by Monday

The town of Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal is currently tense following a instructions from an anonymous business forum demanding that all foreign spaza shop owners cease trading by Sunday, May 19.

File images

According to Scrollafrica,a widely circulated memo, authored by an individual identifying himself only as “Mr. Zulu,” instructs foreign nationals to leave townships and rural areas, relocate to the city, and compete with established businesses there. This instruction has raised concerns and created unease among foreign business communities.

This action in Ulundi mirrors a recent campaign in Nquthu, where foreign nationals were similarly expelled.

The memo purports to represent all small business owners in Ulundi and has explicitly ordered all local property owners renting to foreign nationals to terminate these arrangements immediately.

Memo circulating

According to the memo, by Monday, May 20, no foreign nationals should be operating businesses in the historic Zulu town. The situation is being closely monitored as the deadline approaches.

“We have already gone to the municipality to say they should stop operating by Monday,” reads the memo. “This letter is directed to all foreign nationals who trade by moving around on foot and those who have stalls at [Ulundi] Plaza.”

The Ulundi local municipality has identified the forum behind the ultimatum and is currently engaging with it to understand its concerns.

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