JOHANNESBURG - Friday is the last day for spaza shop registrations and the government has said there will be no extensions on this deadline.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa warned unregistered businesses they risk missing out on crucial opportunities and regulatory benefits.
Some owners say the registration process is arduous and the deadline is unjust.
The South African Spaza-Shops Association acknowledged the deadline in a statement released on Friday saying, "While we recognize the importance of formalizing the sector and ensuring the safety of food handling outlets, we wish to raise a concern regarding the timing of the registration process."
"The registration requirements, as outlined by the IMC, have been challenging for many small, informal retail shops, especially given the delays experienced at key government departments such as Home Affairs and the various municipalities. SASSA has received numerous reports from our members in both urban and rural areas that the registration process has been hampered by these delays."
"Many spaza shop owners have faced challenges in obtaining the necessary documentation and permits, and this has caused significant concern within the sector," they say.
READ: Friday, 28 February 2025 last day for spaza shop registration
The organisation asked the government to consider extending the deadline to provide small business owners time to comply.
Tshwane Economic Development & Spatial Planning MMC Sarah Mabotsa described the process of compliance checks that local government is undertaking.
Mabotsa said, "we are checking the compliance to whether this business has registered."
"When you look at the reference number, there are two different ref numbers," she explained how irregularities in paperwork is checked according to government records and corresponding documents held by the shops.
"We're just trying to curb whatever corruption may arise, if there is an error from an official then we can just correct it," Mabotsa said.