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A metro police officer stands outside a spaza shop during an operation
Violence targeting spaza shops and informal traders in South Africa is increasing, leaving many small business owners operating under fear and uncertainty.
The South African Spaza Shop Association says the attacks are no longer isolated incidents but form part of a growing crisis affecting township and rural economies.
President of the association, Kgothatso Ramautswa, says the situation has worsened over time.
“Remember, this matter is very serious. We have raised issues, countless issues in the previous days before it got uh to such an alarming situation… they are not even going down… even been such they’ve seen an opportunity to also kidnap and demand a ransom from business owners, both in both communities, foreign communities, and also in South African communities. So, you need to be able to understand that this is not just a matter that we can just hold hands and sit around. It’s a matter that continues to grow, and it becomes problematic for informal traders because of it,” Ramautswa says.
He says traders are increasingly unable to operate under current conditions.
“Remember, they’re not; they can’t relocate. Remember, I was speaking about somebody who has just started a business out of uh a small amount of money, not even retaining that particular money, and then immediately you are faced with such a crisis, you do not have your insurance and other things. So, uh, they’re closing down. Young people are closing down the majority of their cars. Young people are closing down shops,” he says.
Ramautswa says the violence is affecting employment and livelihoods within communities.
“This thing is destroying what is left of the township economy… jobs that were created have been lost… a spaza shop owner doesn’t work alone. Some people are employed… some households are benefiting… so it’s a, it’s a circle of economy that finds itself in tatters,” he says.
The association has called for urgent engagement with the government to address the crisis.
“Remember our interest now is to… look into how we then fix what’s happening… and then make sure that we have proper structural bylaws that are protecting informal traders… we are calling for a proper structural insight towards this situation because of its growing on a daily basis,” Ramautswa says.
Spotlight on spaza shops, township economy
