Landlords in Dube, Soweto, are facing pressure to evict foreign-owned spaza shop operators following last week’s unrest in the township, which saw shops targeted and vehicles set alight during protests against foreign nationals.
On Monday, 12 October, members of a group calling itself Soweto Uprising 2026 visited more than 10 spaza shops and delivered letters to landlords demanding that foreign shop owners vacate their premises. The group initially gave landlords seven days to comply, but the demand was later declared immediate during a demonstration.
The campaign has raised concerns about the safety of landlords, the security of businesses and the potential for further conflict in the community.
Patricia Mbatha, 70, a Dube landlord, said she was worried that community members could target her home because they believed she was protecting her tenant. Her situation highlights the difficult position landlords find themselves in as they deal with community demands and their own rental arrangements.
The group has called on landlords to stop renting premises to foreign nationals operating spaza shops, arguing that the local retail sector should create more opportunities for South Africans.
The latest action follows unrest in Soweto on Thursday, 8 October, when protests against foreign-owned businesses turned violent in parts of the township. At least 10 vehicles were reportedly set alight, while stock was removed from a targeted spaza shop in Orlando. Police were deployed to monitor the situation.
The protests have also brought renewed attention to concerns about unemployment, business opportunities for local entrepreneurs and the enforcement of immigration laws.
Some residents have argued that South Africans should have greater opportunities to establish and operate spaza shops in their neighbourhoods. However, questions about immigration status, business compliance and access to economic opportunities require action from the relevant authorities rather than assumptions about individual shop owners.
For landlords, the demands present a separate challenge. They must consider their contractual obligations to tenants while responding to pressure from community members who want the businesses removed.
Mbatha’s concerns also highlight the risk that individual property owners could become targets in a dispute over immigration and local economic opportunities.
Although the group has issued its own notices, these are not court orders. South African law provides procedures for lawful evictions, and a landlord cannot simply disregard the applicable legal process because a community group has demanded that a tenant leave. The Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998 sets out protections and procedures relating to evictions.
The legal status of a shop owner must also be established through the appropriate authorities. Foreign nationality alone does not prove that a person is undocumented or operating a business unlawfully.
Community leader Lelo Mnyaka said she wanted foreign nationals to be legally documented and traceable in South Africa.
Her comments reflect the wider debate over immigration enforcement, but the responsibility for checking documentation and enforcing immigration laws rests with the relevant state authorities.
The government has continued conducting immigration and spaza shop compliance inspections, covering matters such as business licensing, municipal by-laws and food safety. These processes provide a lawful route for addressing suspected non-compliance.
For Dube residents, the immediate concern is whether the dispute will be resolved without further damage to property or threats against people living and working in the area.
The coming days could prove significant, as the group has indicated that it intends to check whether landlords have complied with its demands.
Residents, landlords and business owners now face uncertainty over the future of the targeted shops. Any further developments will depend on the actions of the group, the response of the authorities and whether the concerns raised by residents can be addressed through lawful and peaceful processes.
