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Spaza Shop shutdown- a double edgeded sword for local communities

 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 6.9% from 2022.

Most of those foriegn nationals who run spaza business are from Ethiopia, Somalia and Bangladesh. They have small scale businesses where they deliver everyday consumable goods to the locals. 

Spaza shop owners are experiencing both uncertainty and confusion, as many of their businesses are not officially registered and do not adhere to the government's established procedures. This situation arose after the government announced plans to close all spaza shops and require them to undergo re-registration. 

The provincial headquarter in the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth is home to a significant community of foreign nationals who operate wholesale and retail businesses in the city and its surroundings. Their hopes are uncertain as they await the final decision from the ruling government of national unity.





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