Cape Town — Following the announcement that the deadline for spaza shop registrations would be extended to February 2025, many foreign shop owners are delighted with the news.
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, announced that the government would extend the deadline and considered the commitment to supporting small businesses and prioritising health and safety.
“In consultation with the President, therefore, the government has resolved to extend the registration deadline for all Spaza Shops and other food-handling outlets to 28 February 2025,” he said.
In response to the announcement, the ANG ANGGA Association, an association of Ethiopian businesses, welcomed the decision by the government to extend the deadline, IOL reported.
“We heard the news from the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, (Velenkosini Hlabisa). We are very grateful for this news because there have been lots of complaints. We are grateful for them to allow us another two months of extension,” he said.
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He said the extension meant more businesses could now register and do so in the proper way.
“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 for it. It will also help us to review and refine the way we have been handling the business,” said Daniel.
He added that Ethiopian business people do not belittle the spate of foodborne illnesses currently ongoing in South Africa. He added that the community he represents has been hit by delays in documents issued by the Department of Home Affairs.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Daniel also addressed the issue of Ethiopian spaza shop owners sleeping in their shops, citing the hygiene and health risks associated with it.
“It is a business type that does not entice people. I, and the members of the community, would admit it and we will review, refine and go through members and say ‘These are some of the things that have been mentioned by the Department of Health, the country by the community, by our customers as well’ so we will work on it,” he said.
ANG ANGGA Association’s Fikreyesus Daniel says as foreign shop owners in South Africa, they’re grateful for the extension of the deadline to register spaza shops and food outlets to the end of February. Daniel says this will give them an opportunity to get their paperwork in… pic.twitter.com/S6hbLOhd6f
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) December 18, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
