SONA 2025: An analyst says the issue around spaza shops should be addressed

By Kouthar Sambo

Addressing the challenges around the spaza shop sector, several analysts and critics claimed that the spike in food poisoning throughout South Africa is attributed to the negligence of the government.

Speaking across the VOC airwaves, a political analyst, Sandile Swana, said the issue around spaza shops has been a huge point of contention and should be addressed in the upcoming 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“When false accusations were made about spaza shop owners that they are the cause of food poisoning in the Black townships—this was a soft launch to xenophobia,” contextualized Swana.

“However, there are scientists from the Free State and elsewhere that pointed out the poison killing children in the townships was not linked directly to the spaza shops,” added Swana.

*Listen to the full interview here.

Photo: Small Business matters/X

Picture of Kouthar Sambo
Kouthar Sambo

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