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The Minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu, remains concerned at the on-going violence involving foreign-owned business people and locals. The loss of lives and destruction of property must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

In the last few days, violent incidents took place in Marikana informal  settlement, Philippi, in the Western Cape, Thembelihle informal settlement in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg and in some villages outside Modjadjiskloof in Limpopo. As government, business and civil society, we have a collective responsibility to address the  root cause of the tension.

We appeal to members of our communities to co-operate with the police and not take the law into their own hands. We remain confident that our law-enforcement agencies will leave no stone unturned in their quest to save life and property, to restore calm and stability in the affected areas, and to deal firmly against those who the law into their own hands.

The Minister has established a Task Team to look at the underlying causes of the problem and to advise her on what needs to be done. Consistent with our view that only a multi-sectoral response can deliver a lasting solution, the Task Team is constituted by all relevant government departments and institutions. The team is making a lot of progress and the Minister will brief the public at an appropriate time.

As government, we proceed from the premise that all people living in South Africa, including foreigners, are entitled to the full protection of our law. In terms of our Constitution, asylum‐seekers and refugees can establish and conduct businesses in South Africa. Foreigners who own businesses are also subject to the same taxes and levies as South Africans.

The Minister is determined to fast-track the implementation of the National Informal Business Upliftment Strategy as part of addressing the concerns and challenges that confront the informal business sector. NIBUS is anchored on three key pillars, namely, skills development among the South African population, exploring partnerships between locals and foreign traders and reviewing policies and regulations.

We appeal to members of our communities to allow government departments and other state agencies space to address the situation.

Issued by Department of Communications on behalf of Department of Small Business Department