As part of a comprehensive preventative campaign to protect customers, especially children, against harmful substances and foodstuffs that are no longer fit for human consumption, all spaza shops and food-handling facilities must be registered with the local municipality in which they operate.

In Overstrand Municipality’s area of jurisdiction, municipal officials are already in the process of conducting on-site inspections to verify that all operators of spaza shops are licensed, comply with relevant regulations and are not guilty of trading in illegal goods.

Should it be found that a spaza shop does not comply, the owner will be afforded an opportunity to rectify the matter by completing a formal application form and tendering the requisite documentation in support.

Amongst others, owners will be required to submit:

1. a layout/building plan to scale of the business’s premises;
2. an affidavit stating that he/she (the owner) is not engaged in the trade of illegal goods;
3. an affidavit stating that he/she undertakes to operate his/her business in accordance with prescribed norms and standards; and
4. in instances where the premises are owned by someone else, the actual property owner’s consent (power of attorney) that the premises may be used for the purposes of a spaza shop.

In cases where the business owner is not a South African citizen, the following documentation must also be tendered:

1. a copy of the Section 22 or Section 24 permit whereby the applicant has been granted temporary residency based on either his/her status as an asylum seeker or refugee; and
2. a valid visa that permits a foreign national to conduct business in the Republic of South Africa.

Once the municipality has ascertained to its satisfaction that all conditions have been met, the business owner will be assisted to complete the requisite application form and, on approval, will be issued a registration card or permit that must be displayed and available for inspection at all times.

If you have any questions regarding the registration process or require assistance, please feel free to visit your nearest municipal office where a public liaison officer will assist you.

HERMANUS: Samantha Lukas on 028-313 8968 or slukas@overstrand.gov.za
HANGKLIP-KLEINMOND: Karla Gerber Du Toit on 028-271 8415 or kgerberdutoit@overstrand.gov.za
GANSBAAI-STANFORD: Seulene de Villiers on 028-384 8364 or sdevilliers@overstrand.gov.za

Registration forms can be downloaded from the Municipal website at www.overstrand.gov.za > Application forms on the home page or click here: https://www.overstrand.gov.za/…/Spaza-Shop-Registration…