Amid growing concerns over food safety in South Africa’s townships, locals are intensifying calls for spaza shops to be owned and operated by South Africans. This issue has gained urgency following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive that all spaza shops and food-handling businesses must be registered within 21 days, or face closure. The move comes after recent food poisoning incidents, which have led to the deaths of over 10 children in the past two months.
Local spaza owner Ndo Phele from Tembisa’s Difateng Section believes it is time for South Africans to reclaim ownership of their local economy. “This is South Africa. Let’s make this business ours,” she said. Phele highlighted the need for more information and access to resources to help locals open and operate businesses, ensuring health and safety compliance in the process.
Phele also expressed concern over the lack of health compliance at foreign-owned spaza shops, linking it to recent food safety issues. She supports the president’s directive, as long as locals are given the right information and opportunities to register their businesses. She urged township residents to seize the chance to own their businesses, as it is difficult to break into other economic sectors with barriers like access to tenders and government contracts.
To ensure compliance, spaza shop owners in Gauteng are required to submit several documents, including proof of business registration, identity, and residence. Foreign nationals must also provide valid documentation from the Department of Home Affairs, such as a business visa or work permit. These requirements are part of efforts to regulate the informal sector and ensure safer business practices.
However, not all spaza shop owners agree with the directive. Foreign national Rubel Ahmed criticized the government’s approach, pointing out the lack of awareness and support for business owners to navigate the registration process. In Soweto, the registration process has been temporarily halted by Operation Dudula, a group advocating for the exclusion of foreign nationals from spaza shops, further complicating the issue of ownership and regulation.
