David Makhura, Premier of Gauteng, a province of South Africa, said that in the near future foreign national will not be allowed to operate certain businesses in the country.He said the influx of undocumented migrants entering the country should be addressed before it becomes a crisis. Denying that his views are not xenophobic as has been touted in other parts of Africa, especially in Nigeria, which accounts for migration , the premier pointed that South Africa’s ports of entry must be strengthened to better manage and control the inflow of immigrants. He said that he would work with South African police and home affairs to tighten the security at the borders. Recently, he was on record that the only way to propel more locals into economic participation was to exclude foreign nationals from operating ‘certain businesses’.
Recently, a bill titled as Township Economy Bill was introduced and there is a proposal that seeks to empower people who have been cast out of economic participation, in settlements outside the the province’s central business districts. The Premier stated that they have identified certain businesses that have been dominated by foreign nationals, with very little room for locals to exploit the market. He however, did not mention the areas of businesses the foreign nationals will be prevented from operating but said that the proposed bill has been finalized and will be presented before the legislature. In South Africa, foreign nationals often operate spas shops, wholesale retail outlets, barbershops, as well as electronic repair and sales stores, among others. This has considerably affected the employment opportunities of the locals.
Recently, there were commotions in Johannesburg of immigrants and locals clashing, resulting in police firing killing a few people from Nigeria. This had sprouted quick reactions from the students in Nigeria, who threatened to send back large South African companies operating in Nigeria like MTN, Naspers, etc.
