City of Ekurhuleni MMC for Developmental Planning and Real Estate, Nomadlozi Nkosi, has urged all spaza shop owners in the metro to reach out for assistance in becoming compliant. Nkosi hosted a roadshow in Vosloorus, on Gauteng’s East Rand, to promote the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund.
This forms part of her ongoing community engagements, having already met with residents in Tsakane. The MMC says the goal is to ensure that all spaza shop owners meet the necessary requirements to qualify for the fund.
Launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in November last year, the Fund is managed by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Department of Small Business Development and the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency, where spaza shop owners are allocated R100 000 per applicant.
The Ekurhuleni MMC says she is committed to assisting as many people as possible.
“Gathered here today, we have called all the spaza shop owners to come and be workshopped in regards on how they should apply for the funding. We have spoken to our communities in regards to them following all the regulations and requirements that are needed for them to be able to have spaza shops that are compliant with the City’s bylaws.”
The R100 000 support package includes a combination of grant and loan funding, along with capacity-building opportunities such as technical training, business refurbishment, and regulatory compliance support. Lwazi Skhosana, who recently started a small business with his uncle, says he hopes the workshop will provide valuable guidance.
“Understanding that we are competing against big companies, we came here in order to get help. We want to be helped so that we can further improve our businesses. We are having challenges with things like funding,” Skhosana elaborates.
One of the requirements in the municipal by-laws is that spaza shop owners must operate from properly zoned properties. Spaza shop owner, Bagodile Morale, says this has been a major challenge.
“I have a spaza. The problem is, the health inspectors came to check what the property looks like. They say they want a letter of authority since it’s not my property, the house used to belong to my late parents. And now I need all my siblings to sign, saying they give me the right to operate. But that is a problem because we live far away from each other. Some are in Mpumalanga, while some are in Limpopo,” Morale says.
MMC Nkosi says they will continue to help spaza owners.
📽: MMC Nkosi outlines the purpose of the Spaza Shop Support Roadshow in #Vosloorus. pic.twitter.com/IBrikpo7bE
— CITY OF EKURHULENI (@City_Ekurhuleni) July 25, 2025
Discover more from Trendz Africa
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
