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A man looks at an item before buying at a spaza shop in Thembisa, on the East Rand, in South Africa.
Some traditional leaders outside Louis Trichardt in Limpopo are disputing allegations that they are demanding large amounts of money from spaza shop owners for recommendation letters allowing owners to register their businesses.
Some spaza owners in the area failed to register, accusing traditional leaders of hindering the process by charging high fees.
Traditional leader, Makhado Sinthumule says owners who are unable to register because of fees can engage with their relevant traditional leaders to resolve the issue.
“As the traditional leaders, we are the leaders of the community. We are the custodians of culture … so, the community will have to talk with the traditional leader under their village and show disadvantage. We have R700 for a person who is renewing while R1,500 is for a person who is starting and doesn’t have a spaza shop at all,” says Sinthumule.
Related video | Limpopo Spaza shop owners warned against operating without proper registration
Meanwhile, the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders says it doesn’t support traditional leaders charging spaza shop owners a fee for recommendation letters.
It’s Chairperson, Hosi Pheni Ngove, says, “The issue of money, we have never raised that as part of the conditions for this process and whoever is doing that, they are doing that out of their volition, which is not supported by the house. These people have applied for this shop from those traditional councils long. Now, it’s just a confirmation. It will be a sad story if the reasoning behind non-registration by some spaza shop owners is linked to them not being able to pay a certain fee.”
Related video | The struggle to be compliant in North West and Limpopo
