Tshwane urges owners to register spaza shops: Here’s where you can apply

The City of Tshwane has reacted to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s demand for all spaza shops to be registered, urging its residents to comply.

More than 20 children have died from foodborne illnesses since September, with the latest reported victim being a child from Soweto. The scourge has since been classified as a national disaster, in anticipation of further action and relief efforts.

 MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning Sarah Mabotsa called on all spaza shop owners and food-handling businesses to apply for registration at various stations across the City.

“In complying with the directive from the President of the Republic of South Africa, the City of Tshwane is embarking on a citywide spaza shop registration outreach programme to ensure compliance with trading by-laws pertaining to municipal health services, fire safety and town planning to protect our communities,” she said.

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Where to go to register

The pop-up centres to register stores will be located in:

• The CBD,
• Eersterust Civic Centre,
• Mamelodi (Ikageng),
• Thusong Service Centre,
• Mini-Munitoria,
• Mamelodi West,
• Akasia Town Hall,
• Ga-Rankuwa Community Hall,
• Mabopane Indoor Sports Centre and Mabopane Municipal Office,
• Atteridgeville Municipal Offices,
• Saulsville Sports Ground,
• Centurion Municipal Offices,
• Laudium Community Hall,
• Olievenhoutbosch Municipal Hall,
• Rayton Municipal Offices,
• Refilwe Community Hall,
• and the Bronkhorstspruit Municipal Offices.

Mabotsa said spaza shops and food-handling businesses registering were expected to have the following documents:

• An appropriate zoning certificate,
• An identity document for residents of South Africa or Home Affairs documents for foreigners (certified copies), 
• Proof of registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), 
• A copy of a title deed,
• A lease agreement or proof of residence,
• And a tax clearance certificate (South African Revenue Service documents).

“Further to the registration process, the City of Tshwane will license all qualifying spaza shops or food-handling businesses and issue licences or permits.

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“Consequences for non-compliance include, among others, the confiscation of goods, issuing fines in terms of the City of Tshwane Street Trading By-law, and the closure of businesses,” she said.

School tuckshops now open

Less than two weeks after the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) instructed all schools to suspend the sale of food within and around school premises, the ban was lifted.

Civil rights organisation AfriForum welcomed the decision.

Head of Cultural Affairs Alana Bailey said that while steps were necessary to prevent more cases and deaths, the ban on vendors and tuck shops on school grounds that meet all regulatory requirements was too drastic.

ALSO READ: Concerns about food poisoning incidents disrupting teaching and learning

“It exposed learners to greater danger. Feeding schemes at some of the schools that contacted AfriForum had to be stopped and left children without food aid. In other cases, children slipped out during school hours to get snacks from unverified vendors,” she said.

Bailey said AfriForum was glad inspections of vendors and spaza shops were now being prioritised, and hoped that it would bring an end to the tragic events of recent times.

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