Spaza shop owners scramble to register to operate
President Cyril Ramaphosa gave all shop owners 21 days to register their businesses in an effort to regulate the sector.
Authorities conduct spaza shop inspections in Naledi, Soweto, following the death of six children from suspected food poisoning. Picture: EWN/ Jacques Nelles
JOHANNESBURG - With just days to go, spaza shop owners are scrambling to meet Friday’s registration deadline to operate.
President Cyril Ramaphosa gave all shop owners 21 days to register their businesses to regulate the sector.
ALSO READ: Soweto spaza shop owners bemoan strict requirements to register their businesses
It came in response to incidents of suspected food poisoning that have left at least 20 people, mostly young children dead.
Officials at one of the municipal offices say they have not seen a single shop owner submit all the documents that will qualify them to register their spaza shops.
The documents in question include identification, proof of residence, business visa, and approved building plans among others.
Pelican Masilela owns two spaza shops. He says the difficulty of securing supporting documents might result in the closure of both his shops.
"It's not easy. I don't think most of our guys or many people of South Africa, they've got all these necessary documents. Not everyone is going to qualify for all these necessary documents."
Shop owners in this area are worried they were not given enough time to get all the documents they need to register.