March and March calls for crackdown on non-compliant spaza shops in eMbalenhle
Convenor Pretty Nkosi said some spaza shops were operating without valid permits, land-use or zoning approvals and in contravention of applicable business regulations.
March and March has called on Govan Mbeki Municipality to intensify enforcement of its by-laws against non-compliant businesses, particularly spaza shops, amid concerns over unregulated trading, expired goods and the verification of business operators.
The organisation made the call during a march held in eMbalenhle on August 20, when members marched to Risko Fakude Stadium to hand over a memorandum of demands to the municipality.
Reading the memorandum, March and March convenor in Govan Mbeki Municipality, Pretty Nkosi, said some spaza shops were operating without valid permits, land-use or zoning approvals and in contravention of applicable business regulations.
“Many of these spaza shops operate outside regulated hours and there is growing outrage from the community over the selling of expired goods and substandard food items to our community, particularly to children,” Nkosi said.
She accused municipal health inspectors and law-enforcement officials of failing to conduct consistent routine inspections to ensure consumer protection.
Nkosi said that although municipal regulations govern informal trading, environmental health and fire safety, enforcement was often reactive or non-existent.
She claimed that some non-compliant spaza shops closed following community action were reopened within hours without their owners being held accountable or obtaining the necessary municipal clearance.
The organisation also raised concerns about the security and immigration status of people working at or operating some of the businesses.
ALSO CHECK: R6.5 million water and sanitation projects handed over to Bethal rural communities
“Community sometimes doubt that these shops are harbouring undocumented immigrants because their operations are unregulated and the operators’ status is unverified, [creating a] security risk,” Nkosi said.
March and March is demanding the establishment of a joint multi-stakeholder inspection and enforcement task team comprising the SAPS, Govan Mbeki Municipality law enforcement, health inspectors, the local economic development body and the Department of Home Affairs.
According to Nkosi, the task team should conduct a systematic audit of spaza shops across the municipality and ensure that businesses found to be non-compliant are dealt with in accordance with the law.
“Any business operating without a valid health certificate, trading licence or legitimate identity documentation must be shut down immediately and its goods confiscated until legal compliance is verified.
“We also demand that municipal law enforcement actively patrol all townships and towns to ensure business compliance,” Nkosi said.
However, enforcement measures must be carried out within the law and in accordance with due process, including proper verification of permits, licences and immigration status before any business is closed or goods are seized.
March and March has given the municipality, Home Affairs and SAPS 14 days from receipt of the memorandum to arrange a meeting with community representatives.
Nkosi said the meeting should be used to develop a clear operational roadmap for enforcement and address the organisation’s concerns without further delay. Their memorandum was received by the SAPS and Home Affairs representatives.
