Why do South Africans no longer run spaza shops? | GG Alcock

[@CentreForRiskAnalysis]

WATCH the full interview with GG Alcock (61 mins) on the 'Solutions With David Ansara' podcast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpLOZ4uYasxjaZI

[@marcusmoonstein242]

This is something that amazes me, because it's not just South Africans who do it. The human tendency is to always blame the business owner, and never the customers that keep them in business. Yet businesses can only survive if they are supported by customers. If the Somali's are putting local spaza owners out of business, then the fault lies with the customers who support the Somali's, not with the Somali's themselves.

[@Modikana]

I am a South African operating a spazashop i could say my challenge is lack of resources to scale up my business and lack of support our people are not really supporting us they come whenever they want credit.

[@caughtontape5829]

I wish the conversation was balanced.

[@chessmanhatter298]

That's what you get with open borders....and do they pay any tax?

[@phillipmarchant9221]

Listen to the interview...

[@chessmanhatter298]

@@phillipmarchant9221 how about you have a listen and then relate that to reality...

[@langalakheshongwe5433]

Thy don't pay

[@TshepoMoagi]

Insighful interview.

[@kambrose1549]

Far too busy to join organisations and go to meetings

[@chessmanhatter298]

South Africa simply does not have the resources to look after the whole of Africa. Border security is paramount to prosperity.

[@phillipmarchant9221]

Funny. I thought I heard the interviewee distinctly say that most Somalian spaza owners are VAT registered. Wow, that sneaky, hey - enter the country illegally, and then register to open a business, without anyone noticing...

[@langalakheshongwe5433]

That's a lie my man.. Spazas don't make tht much money. N most these guys r illegal here, so how do thy register for Tax if thy r illegal?

[@gbone7581]

@@phillipmarchant9221 If they did register for VAT (which I don't believe) it will only be to claim VAt back in some form of a scam.

[@dannyarcher6370]

And think tanks like the CRA and IRR are gung ho about the free movement that will eventually come with the African Continental Free Trade Area.

[@kambrose1549]

Some Spaza shops also run a string of street stalls and employ a lot of locals to set these up and take them down at night

[@siya_the_brother]

It's disheartening to see so many South African spaza shops struggling and closing down, only to be replaced by others. A significant issue is that many of these new shops, often run by Somalians, are selling counterfeit products and not paying taxes. This gives them an unfair advantage over local South African spaza shop owners who follow the rules and regulations. It's crucial for authorities to address these concerns to ensure a level playing field for everyone.

[@dienar3717]

There is a lot of violence and threats, supply chain issues including tax avoidance. Dubious import channels... A 15% competive edge on nett margin is the death warrent of 'honest' traders.

[@yadoyaya4887]

Are we able to open shops in they country as easy as they do

[@dannyarcher6370]

Cos they're lazy.

[@phillipmarchant9221]

Uh, is that it? Thank you, so much for clearing this up...

[@langalakheshongwe5433]

Who's lazy?

[@dannyarcher6370]

@@langalakheshongwe5433 The South Africans who owned spaza shops.

[@sueelliott4793]

I soooo agree mate 😊Its easier to blame someone else. If its not whites or Indians, then its Somali's

[@phillipmarchant9221]

South African spaza owners had a monopoly on this sector ever since, and viciously exploited their very own, who basically had no other recourse to alternate supply. Having become entirely accustomed to the fabulous return on investment and the 'induna' protected from competition by the 'spaza mafia', when the formal retail sector moved into their territory, it became a matter of time before the thought of having to compete with lower margins and actually offer a service in order to survive, the South African spaza owner disappeared off the scene, after the usual 'foreigner scapegoating' and even the murder, lost its flavour...

[@josephkmasiza4767]

These foreign owned corner to corner shops were supposed to be BEE( BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT) however, due to lack of communication between Africans. They walk from poor Ethiopia to South Africa not knowing they will be stuck in shops. most even commit suicide because they don't know business. They thought they will just collect money and go back to their country within 2 years. Since someone thought it was not good for South African youth to do it.

[@josephkmasiza4767]

They should be working together with the Ethiopians so they can learn business, how to check invoice even if they didn't go to school. So someone decided to privatization of our BEE to many people. These are just a drop in the ocean. South Africans have a big problem. All my ancestors are barried in South Africa, it is home to me. Africa must wake up, because I have too much I cannot tell because the world is ending. South African soil and rivers and weather is not the same.

[@johnschaap708]

Omdat all die spaza shops is deur die Pakistani oor gevat

[@eldonphukuile]

Again, David. Where are black voices? This tendency that you have to only have Caucasian speakers, even for black township issues, says a lot

[@jimbrownza]

Who is this GG Alcock, and what are their credentials to talk as an expert on this topic?

[@BlackMarketNetwork016]

The guy in the black doesn't have the full scope of what's driving profits in the Somali shops🤦🏾‍♂️