Ramaphosa warns that if spaza shop owners do not register their businesses, action will be taken
In recent months, more than 20 children have died due to foodborne illnesses from goods said to have been bought from local spaza shops.
Five children died after consuming chips bought from a spaza shop in Naledi, Soweto. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned spaza shop owners, that if they do not register their businesses, action will be taken.
Ramaphosa cautioned the small businesses on Friday night, during an address at the Presidential Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises [MSME) and Cooperatives Awards, which were held in Johannesburg.
In recent months, more than 20 children have died due to food-borne illnesses from goods said to have been bought from local spaza shops.
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Ramaphosa said government needs to know the owners of small businesses in communities.
“We want them to stop moving from that level... to being formal businesses and they must come forward. We’ve given them a timeframe to come forward... If they don’t come forward by themselves, then we will be compelled to take action.”
He added that the call for registration was not a witch hunt, but rather to ensure the safety of communities and prioritisation of the economy.
“At the same time, the issue has highlighted the critical role that small businesses play in our communities as they provide much-needed services and also support local economy so that is why it’s important that through the decision taken by government which we announced last week, we should be able to ensure we bring small businesses into the mainstream of the local economy.”