‘Ban foreign second-hand tyre sellers’

Local second-hand tyre sellers have threatened to stage nationwide demonstrations to push government to ban foreigners from selling second-hand tyres, arguing they are stifling their business.

The local second-tyre sellers last year petitioned the Ministry of Industry and Trade, through the regional trade office in Blantyre, asking government to ban the sale of second-hand tyres by foreigners.

The local sellers have since, through their chairperson Imulani Ali, said they are planning to conduct demonstrations on Thursday, February 5, to show their anger until they get a favourable response from government.

“We are of a firm view that there are certain businesses that must be left in the hands of Malawians and not foreigners. We do not believe that this country needs foreigners to come and do business that local people can do,” he said.

Apart from the second-hand tyres, Ali said, the association has asked the government to put deliberate policies to restrain foreigners from doing some businesses done by Malawians.

Regional trade officer (South) Brenda Valani confirmed receiving the petition and said it had been forwarded to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and copied to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

Ministry of Industry and Trade spokesperson Wiskes Nkombezi, while confirming receipt of the petition, said they could not handle the matter on their own and had sent it to the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) for their action.

CFTC executive director Wezi Malonda said they were asked to address the issue but cautioned that they would only look at the competition aspect of the issue.

“We are aware of the issue, but we wish to say that, as a commission, if there is no illegality, we will not intervene,” she said.