By Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) is currently on a drive to register local spaza shops operating within its jurisdiction as per directive of the President of South Africa H.E Cyril Ramaphosa.
The country has recently been experiencing heart-breaking food poisoning incidents, which lead to a large number of learners being hospitals and some losing their lives after consuming food products they bought from spaza shops and vendors.
In his address to the nation on 15 November 2024, Ramaphosa said the following decisions were made after a special meeting with cabinet:
- The first intervention is to get hazardous pesticides off the street.
- The second critical intervention is to protect children from exposure to these substances.
- The third critical intervention is to prevent future outbreaks.
“All spaza shops and other food handling facilities must be registered within the municipalities in which they operate within 21 days from today. Any shop that is not registered within 21 days and does not meet all health standards and requirements will be closed,” said Ramaphosa.
In line with this directive, the Local Economic Development Directorate of Mangaung Metro led by its MMC Cllr Theodorah Mosala is current on an aggressive drive to register all spaza shops in the City. The registration process kicked off on 25 November 2024, at Kagisanong Hall and on Tuesday, 26 November 2024, it was at Paradise Hall in Bloemfontein.
This will help the municipality to be able to monitor spaza shops and ensure that they are compliant and meet the necessary health and safety standards, to curb foodborne illnesses that have resulted in the hospitalisation and death of children from different parts of the country.
According to the municipality, the registration process will enable the City to enforce its by-laws and regulate spaza shops across different regions in the municipality.
MMC Mosala said the rollout is an important process so that businesses operating within the jurisdiction of the municipality can have proper paperwork.
“As the City, we would like to encourage informal traders to register their businesses and be patient while this process unfolds,” said MMC Cllr Theodorah Mosala.
