PARLIAMENT WARNS STREET VENDORS TO BRACE FOR UNREST AS JUNE 30 DEADLINE APPROACHES
Tuesday, June 30 is the date street vendors and small business operators across South Africa need to watch. The Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade has issued an urgent advisory telling those operators, particularly foreign nationals in affected areas, to stay alert, avoid confrontation with protesters, and limit unnecessary exposure to danger as an unofficial deadline set by anti-illegal immigration activists approaches.
Ms Sonja Boshoff, Chairperson of the committee, released the parliamentary statement on Monday, June 29. She acknowledged that public concerns about illegal immigration reflect genuine grievances rooted in systemic failures requiring government action. The distinction she drew, however, was firm. “No grievance can ever justify vandalism, intimidation, assault or any other form of criminal conduct,” Boshoff stated.
Communities across the country have demonstrated their frustration over the past two months. The June 30 date has crystallized that accumulated pressure into a focal point, raising concern about potential violence in the immediate period ahead.
The committee’s advisory to vendors is direct: exercise heightened caution and avoid confrontation until conditions stabilize. That guidance sits within a broader constitutional framework Boshoff outlined for all parties involved. While the right to protest remains fundamental to democratic society, she stressed it must be exercised peacefully and within legal limits. “The rights of those who protest must be balanced with the rights of others to safety, dignity, freedom of movement and the protection of their property,” she said.
The South African Police Service received explicit direction as well. Boshoff called on police to act professionally and impartially, to protect every person within South Africa’s borders, to facilitate lawful protest, and to act decisively against violence, looting and criminality. Political interference in policing, she stressed, must be eliminated. Those committing criminal acts must face accountability regardless of their identity or motivation.
By contrast, the statement’s sharpest concern was directed at government itself. Boshoff identified a critical gap in communication and enforcement, calling on the government to demonstrate consistent, fair and transparent application of immigration laws. Without a clear and credible plan extending beyond June 30, she warned, the situation risks creating uncertainty that opportunists or political actors could exploit to destabilize the country.
The committee framed democratic strength as dependent on equal application of law and the resolution of grievances through lawful processes. “South Africa must remain a country governed by the rule of law, where public order and human dignity are protected without exception,” Boshoff said.
What the June 30 deadline ultimately tests is whether government capacity to manage public order and civil society’s commitment to peaceful conduct can hold simultaneously. The committee’s statement makes clear that both are required, and that neither can substitute for the other.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, contact Mr Sibongile Maputi, Parliamentary Communication Services, at 081 052 6060 or [email protected].