BOSA promises to protect informal traders from criminalisation – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader.
Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane has warned against criminalising entrepreneurs who sell goods on the side of the road to make a living.
Maimane was speaking in Johannesburg on Saturday at the launch of the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Local Government Elections.
He says if BOSA is voted into power, it will ensure that people who are “hustling” on the side of the roads to sell goods are not treated as criminals. The party also plans to simplify municipal processes, including permit applications, to make it easier for informal traders to operate legally.
“We must simplify planning processes so that they are efficient. If you apply for a permit, it must be easy. It’s why using technology we want to make sure those who are hustling on the side of the roads trying to sell things are not criminals. They are entrepreneurs. Let’s give them spaces so that they can function better in municipalities.”
Maimane also says BOSA will prioritise reliable access to clean water and electricity for households and businesses. He says protecting essential public services from planned water and power cuts, will be a key governance principle, while BOSA will prioritise fixing the infrastructure failures that contribute to service disruptions.
He says if BOSA is voted into power, no business or school should have to operate without reliable water and electricity.
“We’re tired of having to choose whether today, do you want water or you want electricity, or you want the internet. Well, you can’t have all of them at the same time. What country is that? What city is that? What municipalities are those? Fellow South Africans, there will be no business that can be started in a city without water. There will be no school that will run without water. There will be no South African who can do life easy without electricity. Build One South Africa is here to change.”
LGE 2026 | Build One South Africa Leader Mmusi Maimane is launching the party’s 2026 Local Government Election Manifesto in Johannesburg, with more than 800 candidates set to contest seats across the country. pic.twitter.com/O9FPDae4M9
— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 5, 2026
BOSA says it wants to streamline the City of Johannesburg’s municipal agencies to improve accountability and service delivery.
Maimane says too many agencies have created fragmented responsibilities and made it difficult to hold those responsible for service delivery to account.
He says BOSA would bring these agencies in-house and streamline decision-making and procurement processes.
“Our biggest problem why cities don’t work is because the money is being stolen. Procurement is for friends, not for proper business. I agree with Deputy Leader Nobuntu Tlazo-Webster, who’s the mayoral candidate here in Joburg, to say all of these agencies are too many. Let’s bring them in-house and make sure we can streamline how we decide who gets to do what work and we can hold them accountable for that work.”