Some spaza shop owners in Soweto call for registration deadline extension

JOHANNESBURG - Some spaza shop owners in Soweto are calling for government to extend the deadline for the registration of spaza shops.  

This comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa's 21-day registration period is set to expire by the end of business on Tuesday.  

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In November, Ramaphosa ordered all spaza shops to register at their local municipal offices as part of efforts to regulate the industry.  

Despite the limited time remaining, some spaza shop owners waiting in line at the Jabulani Civic Centre have yet to register their businesses.  

Hundreds of spaza shop owners are enduring Soweto’s intense heat, growing increasingly doubtful that they’ll be able to register their stores today.  

Long lines at the Jabulani Civic Centre are moving slowly, with some people having been in line since the office opened.  

Siyabonga Mazibuko, who owns a spaza shop in Tshiawelo, Soweto, believes there’s no way everyone will be processed by 5pm.

“I don’t think they will register all of us because there’s a lot of information needed. They need building plans and many other documents. The 21-day deadline is definitely not enough.”  

Those whose businesses aren’t registered by the end of today may risk having their spaza shops permanently closed.