Spaza shop owners request registration extension

JMPD and Environmental Health officers issued a fine to the owner of a shop for trading without a certificate in Hillbrow.

2 minutes

The National Informal Traders Alliance of South Africa (NITASA) has asked for an extension for the registration of food outlets including tuck shops also called spaza shops.

The owners of the businesses have until 5 PM to register them or face closure.

President Cyril Ramaphosa had given the business owners 21 days to register with their local authorities.

This comes after the deaths of several children around the country in suspected food poisoning incidents.

NITASA’s President Rosheda Muller says traders need more time.

“It is highly impossible, improbable for each and every food handler and spaza shop to be registered by today. We realize that it’s not an impossible task, but it is a task that requires more time. We must remember this tragedy got the country into a hyper mood and everybody is jumping around, but it is not as simple as that.”

She adds that NITASA members have not been provided with enough information to enable them to register their businesses.

“There has not been awareness and communication with the trader on the ground. If I am a foreign trader and I open up a business, I know I have to be registered, but it doesn’t happen like that. They are not registered, and they are not aware of the rules and regulations. So, we are now saying as NITASA, there needs to be much more awareness and upskilling of traders with regard to food handling.”