Motsoaledi reaches out to COGTA to develop by-laws to prevent undocumented people running businesses
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi called on mayors to audit spaza shops in their areas to ensure that the shops and their owners are registered following public outcry over their documentation.
FILE: Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. Picture: GCIS
JOHANNESBURG - In an effort to make sure spaza shop owners in the country are documented, Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has reached out to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) to develop by-laws that prevent undocumented people from running businesses in the country.
After an outcry over the documentation of spaza shop owners in various parts of the country, Motsoaledi is now calling on mayors in every city to audit spaza shops in their areas to ensure that the shops and their owners are registered.
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Spaza shops have been under the spotlight after several children died from alleged food poisoning, with the recent incident taking place in Tsakane earlier in February.
Motsoaledi said while municipalities were having challenges enforcing by-laws when it comes to these shops, they would be forced to implement legislation put in place by COGTA.
He said significant progress had been made with the minister of COGTA, Thembisile Nkadimeng.
"She told me that they have finished drafting. I also spoke to the Minister of Small Business, and she said they are drawing up a list of the issue of registration for small businesses."
Motsoaledi said there’s a need for collaboration among all spheres of government to combat this ongoing issue.