Media release from the National Informal Traders Alliance of South Africa (NITASA)

Welcomes President’s speech but warns of frustrations over informal sector regulatory system that undermines growth, jobs and social cohesion

Johannesburg, 9 June 2026 – The National Informal Traders Alliance of South Africa (NITASA), which represents the voice of more than two million informal traders across the country, welcomes the President’s call for calm, unity, constitutional conduct and lawful enforcement.
The organisation shares the concern that legitimate public frustration must not be allowed to become a platform for xenophobia, tribalism, intimidation, vigilantism or violence.

NITASA condemns all forms of violence, threats, harassment and intimidation directed at foreign nationals, South Africans, informal traders or any other group. Regardless of immigration status, disputes must be resolved through lawful processes and by the appropriate authorities, not through confrontation, coercion or mob action. “South Africans are under enormous economic pressure, but violence is never the answer,” says Samuel Mampapatla, General Secretary of NITASA. “We cannot build a stronger economy by turning communities against one another. The rule of law must prevail, and the dignity and safety of all people must be protected.”

NITASA acknowledges that many South Africans have legitimate concerns about illegal migration, pressure on public services, competition for economic opportunities and weaknesses in enforcement systems. These concerns deserve to be heard and addressed. Government has a responsibility to ensure that immigration laws are implemented fairly, consistently and effectively. “South Africans have a right to expect that the country’s immigration system will function properly and that laws will be enforced,” says Mampapatla. “At the same time, enforcement must be carried out by the state, in accordance with the Constitution and the law. No individual, organisation or community structure has the authority to take the law into its own hands.”

NITASA further welcomes the President’s rejection of arbitrary deadlines and ultimatums issued outside lawful processes. The organisation does not support any attempt to impose unlawful deadlines, including the 30 June ultimatum directed at undocumented foreign nationals. Such actions risk inflaming tensions, undermining public order and endangering both local communities and migrants.

However, NITASA warns that focusing exclusively on nationality risks overlooking the deeper structural challenges facing the economy.

South Africa continues to face an unemployment crisis, particularly among young people. Small businesses are struggling, economic growth remains weak and many small and micro businesses face significant barriers to operating legally and sustainably. In many communities, frustration about poverty, joblessness and poor service delivery is being redirected towards vulnerable groups instead of being addressed through practical economic reform. “The people of our country are desperate for economic stability, growth and jobs,” says Mampapatla
“Around the world, small businesses are recognised as the engine of job creation and economic development. Sadly, in South Africa, the odds are often stacked against small and micro businesses trying to survive and grow.”

NITASA says the informal economy remains one of the country’s most important job creators and economic contributors, particularly in townships and underserved communities. Informal traders provide affordable goods, sustain families, support local supply chains and keep township economies alive. “The informal trading sector is the lifeblood of many local economies and a major source of employment for millions of people,” says Mampapatla. “Government should be doing everything possible to support this job-rich sector, not making it harder for people to earn an honest living.”

The organisation reiterates its longstanding call for municipalities to modernise and simplify informal trading permit systems, create transparent registration processes, maintain accurate trader databases and remove unnecessary administrative barriers that prevent informal traders from operating legally. “For years, many municipalities have failed to process permits efficiently, maintain proper records or provide sufficient trading infrastructure,” says Mampapatla. “Government cannot speak about economic inclusion while making it difficult for small businesses to enter and remain in the formal system.”

NITASA believes the solution lies in effective governance, lawful enforcement, economic growth and meaningful support for small businesses, rather than division and scapegoating.

To this end, NITASA welcomes the President’s announcement that the Government will strengthen the enforcement of immigration laws and ensure that all enforcement is carried out only by authorised state institutions, that it will strengthen border management and administrative systems, and address corruption and inefficiency in immigration and enforcement processes.

It also welcomed the President’s announcement that the Department of Small Business Development and SALGA are working to complete the formal registration of small and informal businesses, and provide much-needed support for these businesses through the Spaza Shop Fund. One of the most urgent interventions is for Government to improve the ease of doing business in the informal sector. This includes modernising and expanding informal trading permit and registration systems, which will create the necessary enabling environment for job creation, economic growth and social cohesion.

“The real challenge facing South Africa is not one group of people versus another,” concludes Mampapatla. “It is how we create a growing economy that generates jobs, supports entrepreneurs and provides opportunities for everyone who lives in this country. That requires leadership, effective governance and practical solutions, not division.”

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Sign our petition to help get the voices of our informal traders heard: https://nitasa.org.za/take-action/

Read the IOL published article here