Lerato Serero
SOUTH AFRICA. – The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) has said that it will request a clear pronouncement from government regarding the operation of Spaza-shops (Tuck-shops) during South Africa’s lockdown due to the spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus).
The DA through its Shadow Minister of Small Business Development, Zakhele Mbhele, has said that it will write to Small Business Development Minister, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, requesting a clear and public pronouncement from her and urge a consistent application of the regulations, in line with the rule of law.
The Minister previously said during a ministerial briefing that all Spaza-shops in communities would be allowed to operate during the lockdown period. However she went on to muddy the waters by saying that, “those Spaza shops that will be open are strictly those that are owned by South Africans, managed and run by South Africans”. The DA said that this is a hugely problematic statement for two reasons:
- There is no provision in the regulations for differentiation between South African- and immigrant-owned Spaza-shops, so there is no basis in law to target micro-retailers for closure according to the nationality of the owner(s); and
- Spaza-shops are usually the closest shop for residents in most communities to get basic foodstuffs and household essentials. If the idea of the lockdown is to have “as little movement as possible”, as was said by Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, then Spaza-shops need to be open, now more than ever, otherwise the lockdown is rendered ineffective if people have to go to shopping malls, thus travelling and congregating in larger numbers.
Furthermore the DA said that many such residents do not have a means of transport (with minibus taxi and bus operations being suspended or heavily curtailed) or the money to travel, should they find the transport to take them shopping.
