The City of Tshwane is calling on community members across the seven regions of Tshwane to be vigilant and report any suspicious businesses, with more emphasis on spaza shops and food-handling outlets, that are not compliant with the municipality’s health, fire safety and town planning regulations.
Last year, the national government gave spaza shops and food-handling facilities 21 days to register with their respective municipalities to ensure compliance with by-laws. The registration deadline was later extended from 17 December 2024 to 28 February 2025 by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
This prompted the City to develop a revised registration rollout plan, which is continuing to be implemented in all seven regions, in line with the new registration window period. As of 6 January 2025, a total of 4 055 businesses operating within the jurisdiction of the City had registered.
It must be emphasised that once the window period closes, the City will enforce by-laws against those spaza shops and food-handling outlets that are non-compliant. The enforcement includes confiscating goods, issuing a fine and/or closing the business. It is for this reason that we encourage consumers to actively participate in preventing non-compliant outlets from operating within their communities.
Residents can participate by reporting such businesses by sending an email to spazashopscontraventions@tshwane.gov.za or by calling 012 358 8865. Consumers should take note that it is expected of all businesses to display their trade licences or permits within their premises. The City will only issue these documents to businesses, spaza shops and food-handling outlets if they comply with municipal health, fire safety and town planning regulations.
The City is once more urging all spaza shop owners within Tshwane who have not yet registered their business to visit its municipal offices or log in to the City’s website (www.tshwane.gov.za) and e-services to register their businesses.
Applicants are reminded to bring the following documents to register their businesses:
• Zoning certificate
• Certified copy of identity document or Home Affairs documents
• Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) registration of business documents or an affidavit if a person is a sole proprietor
• Copy of lease agreement or title deed
• Copy of proof of residence
• Affidavit and certified copy of identity document of stand or erf owner even if the business is not in the control of the stand or erf owner
• Menu in case of a restaurant (cafe keeper)
• Tax clearance certificate (South African Revenue Service documents)
It must be emphasised that it is critical for owners to go through the registration process as it will assist them to comply with all health regulations and municipal by-laws related to conducting their businesses. This will in turn allow them to obtain licences or permits to trade.