BCM EXECUTIVE MAYOR MEETS WITH FOREIGN NATIONALS TO ADDRESS SPAZA SHOP CONCERNS
Buffalo City Metro Executive Mayor Princess Faku conducted a bilateral meeting on Monday, 18 November with 40 foreign business leaders including Somalians, Ethiopians, Bangladesh and Pakistan shop owners to discuss recent developments affecting Spaza Shops.

The meeting come after echo President Ramaphosa’s call that all non-complying Spaza shops be closed within 21 days if they fail to register or meet the compliance requirements.

Addressing the spaza shop owners at the meeting, Executive Mayor Princess Faku said: “The purpose of today's gathering is to inform foreign spaza shop owners on the president's communication concerning compliance standards, which must be met within 21 days.”

“We discovered that most of these shop owners don't have papers to operate these spaza shops, nor do they have the correct identification documents to be in the City."

“We guided them through our health department's regulations, municipal by-laws and compliance requirements for business operations,” said Mayor.

Faku also highlighted the City’s strong message to them and said: “As South Africans, lives are very important as per the constitution of our land which is the supreme law and they also agree with that.”

She further added that the main concern is to also find the main manufacturers or rather suppliers they buy from them because we believe they are the one who don’t meet the standards of selling food.

As a way forward Faku said that the City would also be conducting workshops around the City educating these shop owners on what requirements are needed from them in order to operate. The City has about 2000 spaza shops.

The municipality also invited various departments from the institution, which include Municipality Health Services, Spatial Planning, Business Licensing (LED).

Stakeholders include, South African Police Service (SAPS), Home Affairs Immigration, South African Revenue Service (SARS).

The meeting was held at City Hall’s New Council Chambers in East London.

 

 

 

2024-11-18