City of Tshwane Launches Online Registration Page for Spaza Shop Owners.
Picture: Spaza shop in Tsakane when there was a campaign to boycott illegally operated spaza shops amid food safety concerns on the 23rd of October. Image: SA News
(The Post News)- The deadline for foreign spaza shop owners and informal vendors to register their businesses is fast approaching. By Friday the 13th, all spaza shops must be registered with their respective municipalities, or they risk being shut down. This initiative came to a wake of a national outcry following a wide spread of death linked to food – borne disease were allegedly caused by unsafe food sold at spaza shops.
The incidents claimed lives of many citizens with children comprising the majority of the victms sparkng an intense scrutiny of unregistered spaza shops, in townships and rural areas highlighting serious lapses in food safety and hygiene practices as the primary contributors to the outbreaks.
In an effort to enforce accountability, authorities have mandated that all spaza shops and vendors operating in these areas register their businesses with the Department of Small Business Development or face closure.
Speaking on the issue during an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Dr. Daniel Fikreyesus from the African National Grocery and General Association (ANGGA), which represents foreign-owned spaza shops, called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reconsider the tight timeline requesting the president to extend the deadline by six months.
For many shop owners the process of registration is not just filling out forms but also meeting stringent health and safety standards, such as upgrading refrigeration equipment. These requirements are necessary to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.
The registration process requires shop owners to submit documents proving the legality of their operations, adherence to health and safety standards, and, in the case of foreign nationals, valid permits to work and operate businesses in South Africa. Non-compliance will result in hefty fines and possible shutdowns of unregistered businesses, the government warned. In his statement President Ramaphosa urged municipal officials to ensure the process remains fair and free of corruption, calling for integrity in implementing the directive.
Municipalities across the country are racing to process a surge in applications. As the Friday deadline looms, the stakes are high for the owners who are yet to register. Whether the government will consider Dr. Fikreyesus’s plea for an extension remains uncertain, but for now, the clock is ticking for all spaza shop owners in South Africa.
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