On Saturday, 10-year-old Lesedi Maaboi tragically passed away after experiencing chest pains shortly after allegedly eating chips from a spaza shop near her home.
These incidents have reignited discussions about the need for stricter regulations governing informal sector traders in South Africa. This includes designating township and village economies as sectors for ownership and operation primarily by South Africans."Botswana is the beacon of peace, stability and democracy and no one is accusing them of xenophobia...they are protecting their industries and we should be doing the same."Dludlu emphasises the need for South Africans to have confidence that spaza shops and their owners do not pose a national security threat.