KZN Premier calls for crackdown on illegal goods manufacturers after Durban raid

Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli of KwaZulu-Natal suggested that the proliferation of illicit goods in Durban’s unregulated shops stems from illegal manufacturing operations.

This follows a major law enforcement raid in the Durban Central Business District on Thursday.

A total of 13 shops were subsequently closed after shopkeepers were arrested for not having the necessary permits to trade.

Premier Ntuli stated that law enforcement authorities must prioritise discovering the places producing the illicit goods. He expressed concern that shop owners were uncooperative in identifying their suppliers.

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“What is unfortunate is when we are interviewing the owners of the shops as to where they are buying or where these are being manufactured, they cannot tell you, which shows that they are not telling the truth because you cannot sell something if you are not aware [about where it is] being manufactured,” Ntuli said.

The premier flagged the existence of these unknown manufacturing facilities as a major concern, pointing specifically to the health of consumers. He stressed that the issue reflects a broader provincial and national problem.

“It means we still have a serious problem as a country; we have a serious problem as a province, but we will continue to support the work of the police who are ensuring that they keep every person in our province being law-abiding citizens,” he said.