Saso

Breaking the barriers: Government should simplify spaza shops business registration process.  By: Mohamed kosow Salat.  The government is giving undue stress to foreign nationals through the stringent registration requirements of spaza shops in townships.  In fact, although the president gave a directive to register within 21 days, the conditions have turned out to be a massive hurdle. Shop owners are required to have a business visa or work permit. In turn, the requirements for these are an investment of R5 million into a business or submitting a detailed business plan. Secondly, another issue is zoning, since many spaza shops are run from informal structures such as Mandela houses. The registration conditions should be relaxed to favor such microbusinesses. This includes adjusting zoning regulations and making available necessary equipment, such as sanitation facilities and fire extinguishers, at reasonable costs. The local municipality can also go a long way in ass...

  Spaza shops shutdown- a double edgeded sword for local communities. By: Mohamed Kosow Salat.  Calls from the top promiment officials in the government of national unity on the closure of the illegal spaza shops in townships is intensifying as locals have lost faith in small spaza shops in the townships  At least 12 children have died and others admitted to the hospital in various townships, including Soweto one of the biggest slums in Africa. ANC secretary General Fikile Mbalula called immediate action encouraging government to have all spaza shop owners re-register and depot any spaza shop owner who is undocumented.  Spaza shops in townships have long been a lifeline for the township economy serving basic goods to the communities. According to a report from trade intelligence says that South Africa's vibrant informal retail sector compromising 150 000 spaza type stores serve over 11 million shoppers daily. In 2023 the market is projected R197 Billion growing 6....