Spaza shop registrations: Paperwork uncertainty clogging deadline day

Despite government promises to streamline the spaza shop registration process, business owners have blamed the government for the last-minute scramble to get their shops registered before the 5pm deadline. 

The rush to register spaza shops before the 28 February deadline has business owners flustered.

Despite the complaints from the spaza shop owners, the government has declared that no additional extension to the deadline will be given.

ALSO READ: Gauteng shuts down 296 non-compliant spaza shops

Ticking all the relevant boxes has been a struggle for some. Many small business owners have made multiple trips to the regional and district offices as they piece together their paperwork.

Spaza shop owners struggling to meet registration deadline

Entrepreneurs have reported a lack of clarity in the forms and documentation, while foreign business owners say they have been unable to register with the title deeds of their stores.

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa said this week that there would be no room for negotiation about the deadline.

“Where business owners are found to be non-compliant, the law will be enforced, and this includes fines, arrests and closures as applicable,” he said on Friday.

Other department heads have offered slight hope for those still struggling to register their businesses, which often act as a primary source of income.

Without giving much detail, Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni alluded to offering assistance to those who are struggling to meet the deadline.

“Please go register your spaza shop, we are closing on the 28^th. There is support for those who will be found not to be compliant,” the minister said on social media.

In Gauteng, MEC for Finance and Economic Development Lebogang Maile is set to address the issue this weekend. His office would not provide comment before this.

“We are hosting a media briefing this coming Sunday. An advisory will be issued before end of business today,” Maile’s team told The Citizen on Friday morning.

Registration process is ‘exhausting’

On Friday morning, spaza shop owners complained about the “frustrating” registration process.

Long lines formed at Jabulani Civic Centre in Soweto as spaza shop owners rushed to register their businesses, while others hurried to submit their documents, citing inconsistent requirements and miscommunication in the process.

Busisiwe Nhlapho, who runs a shop in Dobsonville, managed to complete the process on Friday morning but expressed her frustration.

“The process itself is too long. It took me only 15 minutes to register and submit. But getting the paperwork and going back and forth for different requirements is exhausting. I’ve been coming here since November —  since the beginning of this whole thing. The most frustrating part is that when you come here to Jabulani, they give you half the information. Then you go to one place and get different information,” she explained.

ALSO READ: Only 4 spaza shops owned by foreigners have been registered so far in Limpopo

She blamed city officials’ lack of clear communication for the last-minute rush.

“The most irritating issue is about building plans. Nobody has a building plan. I went to Braamfontein because they sent us there, and they said a plan doesn’t need to be approved. They can just do a structure. But when you come back here, the people helping you say it must be an approved plan.”

She urged the government to put proper systems in place.

“If that means hiring or training new people — maybe rotating spaza auditors every three months — they should do it. This way, South Africans and foreigners alike will be held to the same standard.”

Hawkers also apply for licences

Within the centre, a small group of hawkers also rushed to get their licences in order.

Kagiso Lephoto from Diepkloof said he hoped the registration process would end their struggles as street vendors.

A hawker’s license costs R343.44 and is subject to increases.

“This is my first time registering. We have been struggling in the streets, constantly harassed for not having the relevant documents and permits. But we hope that through this process, we will be able to work without hassles. We accept that this is the right way, which is why we came. We have previously lost money after being chased away from selling on the streets,” he said.

He added that while he was given a document allowing him to operate, he still has concerns.

“The process still seems long. We are being told that the JMPD still needs to verify and get a letter from the councillor, but we don’t know when that will be concluded. We didn’t even know that we had to pay money as hawkers, but our main concern is that we just want to be able to sell on Monday without hassles.”

Ethiopian foreign national Muhammad Takeye, who was turned away due to missing documents, also criticised the process.

“They are still telling us that some documents are missing. We have to go all the way to town to get them. Today is the last day, and since it’s a Friday, the offices will close earlier than usual. We are not sure if we will make it in time.”

He highlighted that the biggest challenge was obtaining title deeds, one of the required documents.

“We are struggling because most shop owners are not willing to provide us with a copy of their ID, which is required for the process. That has made things very difficult for us,” he explained.

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However, he emphasised their willingness to comply with the law.

“We are fully prepared. We just want this process to be completed so that we can be registered. We don’t want any issues with the police, government, or health department. We want to be qualified and do the right thing. However, they fail to help us — even though many people’s documents have expired, the relevant authorities are not assisting in time to resolve this.”

No deadline extension

However, Hlabisa confirmed on Friday that President Cyril Ramaphosa said there would be no extension.

“We have learnt valuable lessons in a short space of time during this period, especially regarding the need for strengthened enforcement of regulation of the spaza shops and other food handling outlets,” Hlabisa, flanked by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, said on Friday.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on foodborne illnesses and illicit goods stated that the work of multidisciplinary teams, police and associated units will also continue beyond the deadline.

“Enforcement of the law is not an event, and we are committed to ensuring a continuation of the work to formalise, regularise the sector and compliance with the law,” said the IMC.

“This includes warehouses and other establishments that unlawfully stock hazardous chemicals, banned substances and pesticides,” they added.

“We want to emphasise that our cardinal aim is to help businesses to comply with the law and to ensure the safety of our citizens and children.”

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