Nkomazi Local Municipality issues over 800 business licences

The Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) has issued 884 business licences in its quest to manage the economic growth within the municipality.
So said NLM’s executive mayor, Phindile Magagula, who spoke in the Boschfontein Community Hall during her State of the Municipality Address on Friday June 28.

Magagula said the municipality has further installed hawkers’ market stalls in Magudu, Komatipoort and KaMhlushwa, which will accommodate 47 hawkers in total.

“Twenty-two co-operatives have been assisted with the necessary tools in the agricultural sector. These co-operatives are from various villages within the municipality’s jurisdiction,” she said.

However, the NLM’s efforts to get local businesses to comply were met with criticism by some who made claims that the Department of Economic Development’s officials raided their shops unannounced and harassed them.

Department officials had conducted raids in Malalane on June 11 to get the businesses to comply with the municipality’s standards of licensing. They were joined by the Ehlanzeni District Municipality’s (EDM) Health and Environment Management Services, the SAPS and the departments of home affairs and labour.

The NLM’s spokesperson, Cyril Ripinga, said the municipality had issued letters to the business owners in Malalane, reminding them to get their trading licences in order.

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“We sent out two letters, one in October and one in February. Those who had their licences in order were not affected by this visit from the officials at all. All business operations in the municipality have to be declared at the office and be licensed by us. If anyone is doing business without having a licence, then it’s an illegal one,” said Ripinga.

He went on to refute the claims that there was any harassment during the raids.

“This is not something that we wake up and decide to do. There are procedures. We do this with different stakeholders such as the SAPS and health inspectors from the EDM, who have to check the quality of the food and expiry dates of products. We were also joined by officials from the Department of Labour who have to check that there isn’t any child labour and that the National Minimum Wage Act is adhered to.

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“There were no cases of harassment on the day. The officials simply required documentation to prove that businesses adhered to the laws of the municipality, and in the case that they did not comply, the doors were locked until the businesses sorted everything out. We have had to lock some of the shops that sell food to the public, because their establishments were unhygienic and they were not in possession of licences.”

Ripinga said this operation will be ongoing until these businesses get their paperwork right and adhere to the standards of operations.