Local leaders oppose the registration of foreign-owned spaza shops

As food poisoning cases continue, government employees and political leaders are defying President Cyril Ramaphosa’s order by objecting to the registration of foreign-owned spaza shops.

On Wednesday, a five-year-old boy from Diepkloof, Soweto died from suspected food poisoning. The child was vomiting and had diarrhea before being taken to a clinic where he was certified dead.

This death raised the number of casualties to 24, with more than 890 hopitalised, treated and discharged. All the cases were linked to food sold by spaza shops.

Emahleni mayor stops registration of spaza shops

Last week, Ramaphosa ordered that within 21 days all spaza shops be registered so they can be regulated.

He did not say only South African-owned shops should be registered, but in several incidents local residents opposed the registration of foreign-owned shops.

Ramaphosa stressed any shop not registered within the 21 days and did not meet all health requirements would be closed.

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As the process started on Monday, several senior politicians openly defied the president’s call, saying they wanted spaza shops to be owned by locals.

Emalahleni municipality mayor Vusi Nhlapho on Wednesday stopped the registration process. Many foreign nationals had come to register.

“The spaza shops are our pride and it is part of our township economy, as South Africans,” said Nhlapho.

“Today we are not going to continue registering anybody. That is our position as an institution.

“As a municipality, we have bylaws and policies, so we are going to take the president’s speech and align it with our municipal bylaws and see if our environment is conducive to what the president said. Then the council will take a resolution on the matter.

“If we have to amend some laws we will do it,” said Nhlapho.

Residents support mayor’s decision, chase foreigners away

Residents supported the mayor and chased away the foreign shop owners who had come to a local community hall to register their businesses.

Before Nhlapho made the announcement, the residents of Emalahleni had driven away a group of foreign nationals who had come to register.

Deputy Minister for Small Business Development Jane Sithole is among the leaders who called on South Africans to reclaim the township economy, which she said was currently in the hands of foreign nationals.

Sithole said the government was ready to assist the locals to start spaza shops that would operate legitimately.

However, yesterday, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said: “The registration process is guided by the law.

“All authorities are expected to be guided by the law in effecting the registrations.”

ALSO READ: Natural disaster: Suspected toxic chemical found in spaza shops brought into SA illegally