TZANEEN – The Greater Tzaneen Municipality’s (GTM) planning and economic development team has stepped up efforts to close down unauthorised spaza shops across the municipal area.

Recently, the Herald accompanied the team on operations in town and Mariveni, where two shops were shut down for allegedly using fraudulent registration certificates.

The inspections, carried out by the local economic development team, found that the shops lacked the proper documentation.

One store, located at the corner of Agatha and Danie Joubert streets, and another on the Mariveni road towards Letsitele, were closed for contravening the Limpopo Business Registration Act (Act No. 5 of 2003) and the Standard Gazette By-law on Township Economies (Gazette No. 51529, Vol. 713, 07 November 2024).

Director Benjamin Mathebula explained that the municipality issued documents stating:

“To enforce compliance with the law, the municipality has resolved to close the business with immediate effect and may, at its discretion, impound business equipment due to continuous transgression without remedy”.

As a result, the owners and managers of both stores were arrested, one at the Tzaneen Police Station and the other at the Letsitele Police Station. The businesses were fined and remain closed.
The move sparked a lively debate among Herald Facebook readers.

Some praised the GTM’s initiative, while others urged inspections in their own communities or questioned the effectiveness of the arrests, citing concerns over bribery and the likelihood that shop owners could reopen.

Hezekiel Chris commented: “More arrests need to be done because there are more illegal spazas.” Another follower said: “This is just another joke. At the end of the day, he will be back later and open again.”