Deadline looms for spaza shops registration

JOHANNESBURG - Spaza shop owners have less than 24 hours to register their businesses. 

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa set a 21-day deadline for spaza shop registrations, ending on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa's directive comes as the country grapples with suspected food contaminations, which left more than 20 children dead. 

Acting Gauteng Premier Lebogang Maile said they have faced numerous challenges during the registration process. 

READ: Maile says more than 540 spaza shops in Gauteng have been shut down due to non-compliance

"Some of the issues that came up were people who submitted incomplete documents...we had people who were registering or fronting for foreign nationals which is a problem and then we also have people who don't have floor plans, building plans," he said.

Maile said the province has received more than 13,000 applications from its 85 registration centres. 

He said that local government had reached out to 15,000 spaza shops and 500 have since been closed for non-compliance. 

"This is an application process, and a determination will be made for those who qualify or don't qualify at the appropriate time after the process has been followed," Maile said.