Spaza shop raises eyebrows
Spaza shop owner Akiv Ahammed said his shop is making life easier for residents and it is safe, clean and reasonable
Windsor-based resident Michael Sheen has raised complaints over a spaza shop that recently opened on Louise Street in Windsor West.
Sheen says that Windsor West is zoned as a residential area and all the properties with business rights are on Beyers Naude Drive. “There are also numerous hawkers up and down Louise Street – these usually disappear very quickly if they get wind of a police raid.”
The complainant stated that the spaza shop is a nuisance. “Shoppers buy sweeties and drinks and discard their rubbish onto our pavement. The shoppers stop their cars facing the wrong way (facing oncoming traffic) creating an accident hazard. They park in the neighbour’s driveway blocking their entrance,” said Sheen.
He added that the spaza shop has no facilities for waste management nor does it provide toilets for shoppers needing to use those facilities.
The shop owner Akib Ahammed said that he is aware that there is a complaint about his shop. “There are lots of shops around here and I don’t understand why they have a problem with my tuck shop. I am not selling fast food; I sell small things that people need every day.”
Ahammed explained that the complaints are not true. ” I have a helper and we make sure that the shop is clean inside and outside. I even have security and there is no crime around this shop.”
“I am not selling anything illegal here, I do not have a problem with the community, I live with them here. People use to go far to buy small things and now I am helping them. They used to get robbed around these corners. I am here doing something to make their life easier and I am not disturbing anyone. I am not doing any crime, I am just trying to earn a living,” said Ahammed.
Sheen reported the spaza shop to the City of Joburg. “I sent my email on January 2. It has been received but not read. I phoned to report the illegal spaza shop. At first, they didn’t answer the phone. When the person did answer she was so intent on telling me that the owner of the flat is allowed to do what he likes that she kept cutting me off in mid-sentence and would not listen to my complaint.”
A spokesperson for the City of Johannesburg Nthatisi Modingoane said, “Officials from the Building Development Management Unit, in the Development Planning Department did receive such a complaint. A notice was issued to the caretaker of the property, with a follow-up inspection planned to see if the property had followed the instructions of the notice.
Ahammed added that he did understand that zone is a residential area, but he is not the only person with the shop, and he does not understand why they only complain about his shop.
