Khayelitsha Businesses Demand Shoprite Use Their Services

Raymond Vicani from the Khayelitsha Business Forum protested at the entrance of Shoprite in Khayelitsha Mall last week. Protesters blocked the entrance with trolleys.

Some business owners in Khayelitsha say they’ve managed to broker a deal with Shoprite at the local mall to use their services.

This followed days of protests by members of the Khayelitsha Business Forum, the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO), and the Khayelitsha Security and Cleaning Association. Last week the group protested outside Shoprite in Khayelitsha Mall, preventing shoppers from entering until the store managers agreed to meet with them. They demanded that the store use cleaning and security services of their members.

Shadrack Mogress, chairperson of the cleaning association, told GroundUp that they had asked Shoprite for a detailed “empowerment plan” to incorporate the services of local businesses at its store.

“Shoprite has a liquor store in every corner of Khayelitsha. Yet all their stores are serviced entirely by companies that are from outside Khayelitsha … To Shoprite, the people of Khayelitsha are only good as consumers and labourers. The narrative has to change,” said Mogress.

He added that they only protested after Shoprite ignored their previous requests for a meeting.

Patrick Lugogwana from the Khayelitsha Business Forum said: “Shoprite always hires cleaning, security and trolley management companies from outside Khayelitsha.”

Following the protest by the group last week, Shoprite’s media team told GroundUp that “Security and public order police were present on site solely to ensure the safety of customers, employees and the property. We do not condone unlawful behaviour or any actions that threaten public safety and we encourage all concerned parties to raise their grievance through peaceful and lawful channels.”

Shoprite has not responded to our additional requests for comment.

This week, Mogress confirmed that they met with Shoprite management, and it was agreed that some of the services of local businesses would be used. Shoprite is yet to respond to our question about this agreement.

In a separate protest on Thursday, members of the Site C Business Forum with SANCO leaders shut down Shoprite at the Plaza, also demanding that the store hire local businesses.

According to Melikhaya Yawa, Site C community spokesperson, residents were protesting over a lack of procurement contracts for Site C businesses. They also complained that there aren’t enough job opportunities for youth in the area.

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