MK Party President Jacob Zuma confirmed that he questioned the role of foreign nationals in the informal trading sector during a statement posted on the MK Party’s Facebook page on 10 June 2026.
Zuma criticises foreign nationals’ presence in informal trading
Zuma’s post, published on the MK Party’s official Facebook page, contained a series of remarks about South African women vendors and foreign traders. He said: “We will be fooled by people who talk too much, saying we must have grace towards foreigners. Foreigners must have grace when entering South Africa.” He further asked, “Whose country is this?” No additional official statement was released by the MK Party at the time of publication.
The comments were posted on the party’s Facebook page, which serves as the primary source for Zuma’s remarks.
The following has been confirmed as of 10 June 2026:
- Jacob Zuma, president of the MK Party, made the statements.
- The remarks were made on the MK Party’s Facebook page.
- Zuma linked the issue to the broader debate on immigration and informal trading in South Africa.
Zuma’s comments arrive amid a long‑standing national discussion about the impact of immigration on local economies and the informal sector. According to previous statements from the Department of Home Affairs, immigration levels have risen steadily over the past decade, prompting periodic public debate about employment competition (Department of Home Affairs, 2024‑2025 reports). Likewise, the National Informal Traders Association has highlighted concerns that overcrowding in market spaces affects South African vendors, though it has not officially linked these concerns to foreign nationals.
| Topic | Previous Official Position | Recent Development |
|---|---|---|
| Immigration trends | Home Affairs reported a 12 % increase in foreign entries (2024) | Zuma’s comments revive public scrutiny |
| Informal trading pressures | Traders’ association noted space shortages in 2023 | Zuma attributes shortages to foreigners |
The table shows that while immigration has been officially documented as increasing, Zuma’s statements specifically target the informal trading sector, a claim not corroborated by the referenced organisations.
Source: MK Party Facebook page
Additional sources: None
Reported by: Thandi Mthembu
Published: 10 June 2026
Last updated: 10 June 2026, 09:00 SAST