Restricting certain economic activities in townships to South African citizens and people with permanent residency status is among proposals in a new law drafted by Gauteng’s economic development department, according to IOL.
This would mean foreign nationals living in Gauteng would be barred from doing business in townships unless they had permanent residence status.
The report said the objective formed part of plans to revitalise the economy in the region’s most densely populated areas.
It said the draft Gauteng Township Economic Development Bill did not identify the specific businesses it was targeting. However, the proposed law indicated that assistance would be given only to township-based enterprises owned by South African citizens or holders of permanent residency status in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transport, communications, tourism and services sectors.
It also proposed setting aside a percentage of provincial government procurement for township-based enterprises.
The report noted that, a year ago, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola revealed that the government was developing tough legislation to prevent foreign nationals from operating in certain sectors of the economy.
At the time, Lamola said his small business development counterpart, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, was ‘developing legislation in relation to foreign nationals doing business in our country and which sectors of the economy they can play in, where and how’.
[Picture: Eletso, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63346421]