Spaza shop urged to register before end of February 2025

Government has extended the registration deadline for spaza shops and other food handling outlets to 28 February 2025, as announced by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa.

This follows the end of the initial 21-day registration period, which concluded on Tuesday, 17 December 2024.

A total of 42 915 applications were received, and 19 385 of them have been approved. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the registration last month as one of the measures to address growing concerns regarding spaza shops and tuck shops, which are linked to an increase in foodborne illnesses and deaths. 

The President’s address highlighted a foodborne illness crisis, with over 890 cases and about close to 30 deaths since September. 

The Minister emphasised the importance of compliance with health regulations, noting that 1 041 non-compliant shops were closed. 

“Before the revised deadline of 28 February 2025, government in all its spheres will continue to implement the action plan to address the crisis of foodborne illnesses and the illicit trade of goods across the country,” Hlabisa told the media at a briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday, 18 December 2024. 

Meanwhile, he said those who have registered their businesses and received their acknowledgement of registration still need to undertake a further process to obtain their trading licences. 

“For this process, environmental health practitioners and other regulatory authorities will still inspect owners of registered food-related trading businesses to ensure that their businesses are eligible to trade.”