Most foreign-owned spaza shops fail to get nod to operate in Gauteng
Only eight applications from foreign-owned outlets in Johannesburg approved as February 28 deadline looms
02 February 2025 - 20:05
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Only eight applications from foreign-owned spaza shops in Johannesburg have been approved so far.
Municipalities across Gauteng have reported varying numbers of business licence applications as the extended deadline of February 28 looms.
The Gauteng department of finance and economic development has indicated that a significant number of the applications have been from foreign nationals.
Approvals for foreign-owned spaza shops and food-handling facilities remain limited, with only a small percentage of these applications being approved.
In the City of Johannesburg, 2,179 applications have been received, 593 of which are from foreigners , while the City of Tshwane reports having received 4,109 applications, with 1,879 from foreigners.
Other municipalities, such as Sedibeng and Rand West City, also show a high number of applications from foreign-owned businesses.
The department’s spokesperson, Castro Ngobese, said from the applications received from foreigners in the City of Joburg, only eight were approved.
In Tshwane, 148 applications had been approved, while 564 were rejected pending submission of relevant documents, he said.
“A total of 343 applications from foreign nationals have been processed and are awaiting confirmation from the department of home affairs and the SA Revenue Service (Sars) while 20 have been approved.
“A total of 780 certificates of acceptability (COAs) have been issued,” Ngobese said.
The Sedibeng District Municipality, which comprises the Midvaal, Emfuleni and Lesedi local municipalities, has received 2,688 applications — 1,260 of them from foreign nationals.
Ngobese said 28 of these applications had been approved, with none being from spaza shops or food-handling facilities owned by foreign nationals.
To date, 27 certificates had been issued by the municipality.
Of the 150 applications received by the Rand West City Local Municipality, 125 were from facilities owned by foreign nationals, and no applications had been approved yet.
In the City of Ekurhuleni, 109 certificates had been issued to date.
“In the Mogale City Local Municipality, 93 applications have been received. The total number of applications approved is 34, with 12 of them being from foreign nationals,” Ngobese said.
He said107 certificates had been approved in the municipality.
Ngobese said 7,802 inspections had been conducted in Johannesburg, with 1,444 of the spaza shops and food-handling facilities found to be noncompliant.
He said 243 spaza shops and food-handling facilities were closed due to noncompliance with environmental health and safety standards.
In Tshwane, 5,851 inspections had been conducted, with 1,905 found to be noncompliant and 48 closed.
In Ekurhuleni 9,433 inspections had been conducted, with 8,848 shop found to be noncompliant and five closed.
“In Mogale City Local Municipality, 2,351 inspections have been conducted, with 23 spaza shops and food-handling facilities being found noncompliant. No facility has been closed. In the Sedibeng District Municipality, 927 joint inspections have been conducted, with 30 being found noncompliant. No facility has been closed.”
Ngobese said inspections were yet to be conducted in Rand West City.
He said compliance remained a challenge across municipalities, particularly with spaza shops facing zoning issues. While demolitions were a last resort, the Gauteng government was working to expedite regularisation processes over the next two months.
Ngobese confirmed that the provincial government was working with the home affairs department, Sars and law enforcement to address fraudulent documentation and ensure foreign nationals complied with legal and health safety standards.
He said 7,148 spaza shops and food-handling facilities in Gauteng were receiving training, and 372 interventions had been completed. Training had not started in Mogale City.
Geo mapping of spaza shops and food facilities continued across the provinces, with trained business regulation officers supporting Gauteng municipalities and assisting with onboarding on DSBD Connect, the small business development department platform.
He said the provincial government was conducting inspections and investigations to enforce shutdowns where spaza shops had resumed operations after being closed.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Most foreign-owned spaza shops fail to get nod to operate in Gauteng
Only eight applications from foreign-owned outlets in Johannesburg approved as February 28 deadline looms
Only eight applications from foreign-owned spaza shops in Johannesburg have been approved so far.
Municipalities across Gauteng have reported varying numbers of business licence applications as the extended deadline of February 28 looms.
The Gauteng department of finance and economic development has indicated that a significant number of the applications have been from foreign nationals.
Approvals for foreign-owned spaza shops and food-handling facilities remain limited, with only a small percentage of these applications being approved.
In the City of Johannesburg, 2,179 applications have been received, 593 of which are from foreigners , while the City of Tshwane reports having received 4,109 applications, with 1,879 from foreigners.
Other municipalities, such as Sedibeng and Rand West City, also show a high number of applications from foreign-owned businesses.
The department’s spokesperson, Castro Ngobese, said from the applications received from foreigners in the City of Joburg, only eight were approved.
In Tshwane, 148 applications had been approved, while 564 were rejected pending submission of relevant documents, he said.
“A total of 343 applications from foreign nationals have been processed and are awaiting confirmation from the department of home affairs and the SA Revenue Service (Sars) while 20 have been approved.
“A total of 780 certificates of acceptability (COAs) have been issued,” Ngobese said.
The Sedibeng District Municipality, which comprises the Midvaal, Emfuleni and Lesedi local municipalities, has received 2,688 applications — 1,260 of them from foreign nationals.
Ngobese said 28 of these applications had been approved, with none being from spaza shops or food-handling facilities owned by foreign nationals.
To date, 27 certificates had been issued by the municipality.
Of the 150 applications received by the Rand West City Local Municipality, 125 were from facilities owned by foreign nationals, and no applications had been approved yet.
In the City of Ekurhuleni, 109 certificates had been issued to date.
“In the Mogale City Local Municipality, 93 applications have been received. The total number of applications approved is 34, with 12 of them being from foreign nationals,” Ngobese said.
He said 107 certificates had been approved in the municipality.
Ngobese said 7,802 inspections had been conducted in Johannesburg, with 1,444 of the spaza shops and food-handling facilities found to be noncompliant.
He said 243 spaza shops and food-handling facilities were closed due to noncompliance with environmental health and safety standards.
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In Tshwane, 5,851 inspections had been conducted, with 1,905 found to be noncompliant and 48 closed.
In Ekurhuleni 9,433 inspections had been conducted, with 8,848 shop found to be noncompliant and five closed.
“In Mogale City Local Municipality, 2,351 inspections have been conducted, with 23 spaza shops and food-handling facilities being found noncompliant. No facility has been closed. In the Sedibeng District Municipality, 927 joint inspections have been conducted, with 30 being found noncompliant. No facility has been closed.”
Ngobese said inspections were yet to be conducted in Rand West City.
He said compliance remained a challenge across municipalities, particularly with spaza shops facing zoning issues. While demolitions were a last resort, the Gauteng government was working to expedite regularisation processes over the next two months.
Ngobese confirmed that the provincial government was working with the home affairs department, Sars and law enforcement to address fraudulent documentation and ensure foreign nationals complied with legal and health safety standards.
He said 7,148 spaza shops and food-handling facilities in Gauteng were receiving training, and 372 interventions had been completed. Training had not started in Mogale City.
Geo mapping of spaza shops and food facilities continued across the provinces, with trained business regulation officers supporting Gauteng municipalities and assisting with onboarding on DSBD Connect, the small business development department platform.
He said the provincial government was conducting inspections and investigations to enforce shutdowns where spaza shops had resumed operations after being closed.
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