ActionSA demands ban on undocumented foreigners operating businesses in eThekwini - IOL

ActionSA mayoral candidate Zwakele Mncwango says banning illegal foreigners from running businesses and creating a dedicated police unit are non-negotiable coalition terms in eThekwini.

ActionSA's eThekwini mayoral candidate Zwakele Mncwango says the party will demand a ban on illegal immigrants operating businesses in the city and the creation of a special Durban Metro Police unit to deal with illegal immigration as part of any coalition agreement after the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Mncwango made the remarks in a video statement on Sunday, outlining the party's non-negotiables ahead of the November 4 vote.

He said the conditions form part of ActionSA's leadership framework adopted by the party's Senate, which guides how the party will enter coalitions nationally.

"Illegal foreigners must not operate businesses," he said.

ActionSA's position has often been misinterpreted, he said, but the party is clear that its policy targets undocumented and illegal immigration, not legal foreign nationals.

According to the video caption, the party wants two immediate actions in eThekwini: first that no illegal immigrant be allowed to operate a business in the city, including spaza shops and inner-city trading, and second that the municipality establishes a dedicated unit within the Durban Metro Police to enforce immigration by-laws and work with Home Affairs to identify undocumented persons.

ActionSA, led nationally by Herman Mashaba, has placed illegal immigration at the centre of its 2026 local government campaign, alongside service delivery, crime and youth unemployment.

The party argues that lax enforcement of by-laws in metros like eThekwini, Johannesburg and Tshwane has allowed undocumented foreign nationals to operate businesses without permits, while South Africans struggle to get trading licences.

In eThekwini, the issue has been politically sensitive, with recent operations by the City's Business Licensing Unit and Metro Police targeting unlicensed businesses in the Durban CBD, Point and township areas.

Business forums have also raised concerns about spaza shops operating without health and safety compliance.

Mncwango, a former DA KZN leader who joined ActionSA in 2022, is contesting to be mayor of eThekwini, where no party is expected to win an outright majority.

ActionSA is positioning itself as a kingmaker in hung councils and says its coalition conditions will apply to any party seeking its support after the election, including the ANC, DA and IFP.

The party says it will only work with parties that share a similar position on illegal immigration and law enforcement.