Spaza shop bylaws will allow municipalities to choose quota of foreign-owned shops
Government is cracking down on these shops to ensure they are safe and compliant.
Screengrab of closed spaza shop in Naledi, Soweto, from EWN Reporter video
Clement Manyathela speaks with Panyaza Lesufi, Gauteng Premier and Velenkosini Hlabisa, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister.
Listen below.
Several children have died after eating contaminated snacks from spaza shops.
Government is now cracking down on these shops to ensure they are safe and compliant.
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Lesufi says the first step is registering all spaza shops so they can account for all of them.
This will be done through the introduction of new bylaws that regulate the way these shops operate.
Under the new bylaws, spaza shops will be confined to one place of operation and will have to submit notice if they wish to move.
“By their own definitions, spaza shops were something that can open today, close tomorrow, or move from one place to another.”
- Panyaza Lesufi, Gauteng Premier
“Now that we have had loss of lives, we have to take this on board.”
- Panyaza Lesufi, Gauteng Premier
Lesufi says the first priority is understanding what caused these poisonings, so it does not happen again.
“We need to know what caused our children to die. Until we know that we cannot rest on our laurels.”
- Panyaza Lesufi, Gauteng Premier
Hlabisa says these new bylaws will also stimulate the township economy, and ensure South Africans are benefitting from them.
Municipalities will be able to choose how many spaza shops are foreign-owned.
“If they say the quota is zero, it is the decision of the municipality to do so.”
- Velenkosini Hlabisa, COGTA Minister
They will also ensure that spaza shop owners are paying tax and follow health and safety standards.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.