SEDIBENG.- The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has extended the application period for application of trading licenses by informal traders in the region.
The ELM said that due to the high number of informal food traders that have applied for permission to trade in Emfuleni, the municipality has extended the application period to Tuesday, 21 April. The extensions allows for the municipality to also process outstanding applications and to quicken the process of new ones.
Permit applications can be done at the municipality’s Houtkop Offices in Sebokeng from 08:00 until 16:00.
“The regulations for the informal food traders to apply for special permission to trade are in line with the amended regulations announced by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, on Thursday, 02 April 2020.”
The amended regulations called on grocery stores and wholesale produce markets, including spaza shops and informal food traders, to obtain written permission from municipalities to operate such businesses.
“The Minister indicated that informal food trade referred to Spaza-shops and fruit & vegetable stores, but not informal street traders. The regulations are aimed at preventing and curbing the spread of the coronavirus during the lockdown period declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa a few weeks ago. Informal traders are expected to comply with the national regulations and sell essential products only and observe physical distancing of 2 meters from the customers.”
The ELM further said that submission of the application form does not automatically guarantee granting of permission, but it affords the municipality the opportunity to critically assess the applications and ensure that they meet the criteria for basic foodstuffs as set by national government.
“Informal traders are reminded to practice proper hygiene measures such as washing of hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and to use hand sanitizers with 60% or more alcohol content.”
