The Kubheka family in Vosloorus is appealing for answers following the disappearance of 27-year-old Mazwi Kubheka, who has not been seen since 2 April.
Kubheka was allegedly taken after a dispute over the occupation of a local spaza shop, raising concerns about safety and tensions within the informal retail sector.
President of the Progressive Forces of South Africa, Mthetho Ngcukayithobi, said the incident may be linked to a broader pattern of organised crime targeting small business owners.
Ngcukayithobi referred to a similar case last year in which a shop was allegedly set alight following a dispute. He claimed that in that instance, individuals linked to a foreign national had approached a shop owner with an offer to buy the business, and intimidation allegedly followed when the offer was rejected.
“We are saying that this is organised crime. It has been there, but it has been silent,” he said.
Ngcukayithobi also warned of growing tensions within local communities, arguing that control of parts of the informal retail economy is shifting.
“The local economy is no longer in the hands of South Africans. It boils down to those taking over spaza shops, effectively the broader retail space,” he said.
He has called for Kubheka’s safe and unharmed return as investigations into the disappearance continue.