Many Fourways spaza shops still not registered despite February deadline
Gauteng's MEC for Finance and Economic Development Lebogang Maile discloses that over 17 000 spaza shops have applied for registration, although Fourways Review found out that many vendors in the Fourway area are still not registered.
The Gauteng Finance and Economic Development MEC, Lebogang Maile, has revealed that over 17 000 spaza shops in the province have submitted their application for registration.
This announcement follows a three-month registration period that ran from November 14 to February 28, during which President Cyril Ramaphosa urged spaza shop owners to comply with new regulations, designed to ensure food safety and consumer protection, this following hundreds of cases of foodborne illnesses in parts of the country, where nearly 30 people, including children, passed away after consuming snacks purchased at some spaza shops last year.
Also read: Officials launch Spaza Shop By-law Enforcement Campaign
Maile said: “As of the February 28, the total number of applications for the registrations by spaza shops, and food-handling facilities across the Gauteng province, is 17 617.
“This includes 7 107 applications by foreign nationals across all municipalities, with the City of Johannesburg having the highest number of applications. The approved, or issued, certificates are lower than the number of applications for registration, owing to the undertaking of this process.”
Despite all this, Fourways Review visited vendors operating in the Fourways area and discovered, shockingly, that many of the vendors are still not registered.
Also read: Fourways vendors speak out after Gauteng Department of Education ban on food sale
Lizzy Phakwana, who sells at the corner of William Nicol Drive and Sunrise Boulevard, between Fourways Mall and Fourways Crossing, expressed her frustration with the registration process, describing it as ‘frustrating and tiring’. “Some of us didn’t register because the city was making things very difficult for us. As street vendors, we wish the government could make things easier for us. We can’t just leave here. We have families to feed, and we don’t mind paying taxes. We help a lot of people who can’t go to the mall. Most of my coworkers don’t even have passports, so spaza shop registration was impossible for them.”
Not all vendors faced barriers to registration, as one who trades in front of Witkoppen Primary School and Witkoppen Clinic shared. “I was able to register, but I’m still waiting for a few things to be finalized. The process was long but worth it. I am too old to be running from JMPD officers.”
Read more: JMPD enforces rules against illegal vendors
Ward 94 councillor David Foley has been very hard on the spaza shop by-law enforcement campaign, with visits to street vendors in his ward.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by street vendors, but reiterated that, “the law is the law. We can’t have any exceptions. This campaign was well advertised to everyone, and in my ward I visited street vendors to explain the importance of this.”
He warned that those who do not comply with the registration requirements would face consequences as the crackdown on unlicensed spaza shops is enforced.
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