60 000 spaza shops registered in compliance drive: Ndabeni-Abrahams

Small Business Development Minister Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abrahams says over 60 000 spaza shops have been registered following the compliance drive campaign that began late last year.

She. however, expressed disappointment at a slow pace of small businesses response in applying for government funding.

In March this year, the department launched a massive financial support grant to the tune of R500 million aimed at subsidizing small businesses, in particular spaza shops.

“We have managed to approve funding for 5 000 spaza shops which has been disbursed. We are looking forward to all others that adhered to the President’s call to come and apply this money is here for spaza shops owned by South Africans. To assist you to be compliant with the law but that also to assist you to trade. As we said we are looking forward to spaza shops coming together forming cooperatives or working as groups in order to participate in that value chain that we are talking about. Sourcing the products that they are selling in their areas.”