Cape Town – Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has reportedly reached out to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in an effort to make sure that spaza shop owners in the country re documented.
According to EWN, the aim is to establish by-laws that prohibit individuals without proper documentation from engaging in business activities within the country.
Following widespread concern regarding the documentation of spaza shop owners across different regions, Motsoaledi is now urging mayors in every city to conduct audits on spaza shops within their jurisdictions, the report said.
The goal is to verify that both the shops and their owners are duly registered.
The focus on documentation comes after cases of alleged food poisoning, including a recent incident in Tsakane, where four children aged two, three, six, and nine were admitted to hospital with suspected food poisoning after they allegedly consumed food from spaza shops.
MEDIA STATEMENT || OUR CHILDREN RECOVERING AT PHOLOSONG HOSPITAL FOLLOWING SUSPECTED FOOD POISONING INCIDENT pic.twitter.com/XOQ7Pw6o9p
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) February 7, 2024
According to a Health Department statement, there have been 861 such food incidents which have resulted in 11 deaths in the country.
Despite challenges in enforcing by-laws, Motsoaledi has emphasised the importance of collaboration among different levels of government to address the issue.
He mentioned notable advancements in collaboration with the Minister of COGTA, Thembisile Nkadimeng.
[WATCH] “If the owner is illegal, we will start the process of deportation; if he’s legal we will demand that the spaza shop be registered.” – Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi says there’s a resolution that
mayors must conduct an audit on spaza shops. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/s39AY4TWhl— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) February 13, 2024
He said that COGTA has drafted legislation, and efforts are underway to create a registration list for small businesses.
“She told me that they have finished drafting. I also spoke to the Minister of Small Business, and she said they are drawing up a list of the issue of registration for small businesses,” the report quoted Motsoaledi as saying.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
