An association of Ethiopian business people operating spaza shops across South Africa has welcomed government’s announcement of a two-months extension of the deadline for all spaza shops to be registered.
IOL reported on Wednesday that government has extended the registration process for spaza shops and other food-handling outlets to the end of February next year.
The 21-day deadline for owners of spaza shops operating across South Africa to register their businesses, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa has lapsed but thousands of the small businesses have remained unregistered.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, ANG ANGGA Association’s director Fikreyesus Daniel said the extension is welcomed.
“We heard the news from the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, (Velenkosini Hlabisa). We are very grateful about this news because there has been lots of complaints. We are grateful for them to allow us another two months of extension.
“This allows us to completely do this task effectively. When the time is so short, you want to do things properly. So we are so grateful about it. It will also help us to review and refine the way we have been handling the business,” said Daniel.
He said the Ethiopian business people he represents do not belittle the issue of food-borne illnesses experienced in South Africa, where several children lost their lives.
Daniel said the community he represents is hamstrung by delays of issuing of documents from the Department of Home Affairs. The documents, including asylum-seeker permits are required for the registration of the spaza shops.
On Wednesday, Hlabisa announced that a lot of work has been done over the 21 days of compulsory registration for spaza shops, but the work still needed to continue.
“Throughout South Africa, 392 registration centers were established in all nine provinces and 42,915 applications were received between November 15 and yesterday (Tuesday) to be processed for people applying to operate spaza shops and other food handling outlets,” Hlabisa told reporters in Pretoria.
Out of the 49,915 applications 19,386 have been approved. We regard this as considerable progress over a period of 21 days,” he said.
“Noting the progress of work done, in consultation with the president, the government has resolved to extend the registration deadline for all spaza shops and other food-handling outlets to February 28 2025.
“Prior to the revised deadline of February 28, 2025, the government in all its spheres will continue to implement the action plan to address the crisis of food-borne illnesses and the illicit trade of goods across the country,” he said.
Hlabisa said the business which have been duly registered still need to undergo the process of getting trading licences.
Government intervened after several people died across South due to food-borne illnesses.
The people who died, majority of them being children, had allegedly consumed food from the spaza shops that have mushroomed especially across townships in South Africa.
IOL