STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MS LINDIWE ZULU, ON IMPACT OF VIOLENCE ON SMALL BUSINESSES

25 June 2016

I condemn looting of small businesses in Tshwane in the strongest possible terms. It is totally unacceptable and works against the interests of the country, Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu has said in a statement.

“The violence, destruction of property and various acts of criminality directed at foreign-owned traders cannot be tolerated in a democratic society. Furthermore, this looting and destruction of local and foreign national owned shops and other small businesses reverses the gains that government has been making to harmonise the relationships between local and traders of foreign origin. It also undermines the efforts of Government, my department specifically, to strengthen small businesses in our collective efforts to create jobs and improve the socio-economic conditions of our communities. On what basis will people be prepared to become entrepreneurs when their investments can go up in smoke for no fault of theirs”. She said.

I wish to commend the police for doing their best to deal with an extremely difficult and volatile situation. We urge our law-enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned to save life and limb, and to restore calm and stability in the area. I remain satisfied with government and the department’s efforts in dealing with this violencein line with the government decisions of the IMC on migration. We are confident that our law-enforcement agencies will continue to deal firmly against these anarchists and destructionists.

We call upon those who call themselves community leaders to refrain from mobilising members of the public against foreign traders for their own selfish interests.

I am concerned that the ongoing intimidation of small business owners and destruction of small businesses will discourage entrepreneurs to establish new businesses, and thus undermine our efforts of building a nation of entrepreneurs and job creators.

Working together we can change the course of direction for a better South Africa. 

Statement issued by Cornelius Monama, Spokesperson: Department of Small Business Development, 25 June 2016