It was a momentous day for Solly Legae when the doors of his store in Johannesburg’s Diepkloof township reopened for business in February. Once a humble spaza shop, Solly’s Monageng Market had been transformed into a modern community convenience store. "It looks fantastic. We now have an open-plan store with aisles and shelves. Before we just had a counter in the front of the store." Transformation of his small 100m² store, opened by his father in 1972, is thanks to an initiative by the Gauteng department of economic development (GDED), backed by Pick n Pay. The first in a pilot project, Legae’s store has been joined by one other with a further three to follow by year-end. The pilot was born out of discussions held between GDED minister Lebogang Maile, and retailers, says GDED chief information officer Bongani Nkosi. Pick n Pay took up the challenge. "We wanted to pursue the idea that a big national retailer can work with a small retailer to build entrepreneurship and local communit...
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