By Kaya 959 News
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it is shocked and disappointed with a video calling to ban foreign nationals from opening new spaza shops in Soweto.
The commission says it’s worried that owing to the video, people may take the law into their hands.
A video was published recently online of a man saying they will be giving black-owned products an opportunity to be sold in the townships.
The man in the video identifies himself as Nhlanhla Lux. He was regarded as one of the heroes that prevented the looting of Maponya Mall during the unrest in South Africa in July.
“What’s left of the spaza economy belongs to South Africans,” Lux says in the video.
The commission’s chairperson, Bongani Majola, says the video, which it regards as xenophobic, will encourage criminality.
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High levels of crime
The SAHRC says the video is “filled with veiled threats against non-nationals”.
“It speaks of peace which has existed between South African nationals and the non-national owners of these businesses and threatens that this peace will no longer exist if non-nationals reopen their businesses following the unrest and looting at the beginning of July 2021.”
The commission also slammed a statement blaming foreigners for the high levels of crime.
“The person also blames non-national business owners for not obeying or upholding the law in this country, a ridiculous statement considering the high levels of crime implicating both South African nationals and non-nationals in this country.
“Blaming non-nationals for all crime, including the high levels of crime committed by South Africans themselves is a clear sign of xenophobia and an unfortunate discrimination against people just because of their nationalities,” the SAHRC said in a statement.
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Main image credit: Wikimedia Comms
