A general view of informal businesses on September 29, 2020 in Soweto, South Africa. It is reported that a new Township Bill promises to bar foreigners from doing business in Gauteng townships unless they have successfully applied for residency status in South Africa.A bill that could restrict businesses of foreign nationals in Gauteng townships has been flagged as having the potential to increase xenophobia, but there is some support for it as a means to achieve an inclusive economy nationally.
The bill, which has been described as unconstitutional by a pro-migrant lobby group, is intended to designate township areas as places that are “reserved for the exclusive and sole [benefit] of citizens and people who have permanent residency status in the republic”. “These include... the focus on facilitating inclusive growth in townships through improved access to finance, technology and support, as well as improving data collection and availability,” said Kingston.