Spaza shop owners in Naledi, Soweto, have accused City of Joburg officials of demanding bribes in exchange for business registration assistance.
Image: Dumisani Dube/Independent Media
“How much do you have for a cold drink?” This is the question unregistered spaza shop owners in Naledi, Soweto, accused the City of Joburg officials of asking in exchange for business registration assistance, claiming they prioritised foreign nationals who paid the bribe.
The allegations came after the registration deadline passed last week on Friday, February 28.
The registration was part of an effort to address food safety concerns following the surge of food poisoning incidents that claimed over 20 lives of schoolchildren, who died after consuming snacks bought from spaza shops.
President Cyril Ramaphosa called for the initiative last year in November.
Speaking with IOL News, a tuck shop owner from Naledi, in Soweto who wished to remain anonymous, accused the City of Joburg’s officials at the Jabulani Civic Centre (UBC) of demanding bribes in exchange for registration assistance.
“There were so many things that were happening at that centre, while we were queuing with the hopes of being assisted, the officials told us that they want money for cold drinks,” she said.
The tuck shop owner added that the security guards at the centre told her that foreign nationals were also paying bribes.
“When you already lost hope and are about to leave and ask the security guards at the gates about the registration process, they will tell you that the foreign nationals are paying bribes,” she said.
The security guards, according to her, would say, “And then you? How much do you have for a cold drink? These people (referring to the foreign nationals) are paying bribes.”
She claimed that even though she did not have a title deed, because her husband is still paying the bond, the officials demanded additional documents, citing the absence of “cold drink” as the reason for her failure to be registered.
She voiced frustration, stating that foreign nationals were being given preferential treatment because they could afford to pay bribes.
“Foreigner nationals are holding us back because they have money, and they can afford to pay bribes, so everything goes well for them,” she added.
The required documents include a completed business license application form, zoning certificate or written consent approval, health standards certificate, approved building plan, occupancy certificate, certified copy of the title deed or a letter from the landlord, if not owned, work permit or letter from the Department of Home Affairs for non-South Africans, Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) registration, latest municipal account statement and tax clearance certificate from SARS.
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City of Joburg officials and security guards at Jabulani Civic Centre in Soweto are accused of demanding bribes from spaza shop owners in exchange for business registration assistance.
Image: Itumeleng English /Independent Newspapers
Another tuck shop owner from the area, Tshidi Seloko, who was unable to register her business, echoed similar sentiments of foreign nationals being prioritised.
“Last week on Friday, my friend who is also a tuck shop owner also came back without being assisted. She said foreign nationals were given preferential treatment because they pay bribes,” she claimed.
Seloko, who also struggled to register her business, encountered difficulties due to her having to obtain a title deed for the house that her grandmother owned before she died.
She criticised the government for not adequately educating people on the documents needed for registration.
“They did not educate us enough about the documents needed to register the businesses, because now we’re suffering with registering our businesses,” Seloko told IOL News.
“I have tried to get the title deed several times, but still, I don't have it.”
Seloko also complained about the high costs associated with business registration, including R950 for a health certificate and R400 for a fire extinguisher certificate.
“We have been attending business workshops, but they never told us about all the documents that they need now,” she added.
Seloko has called on the government to extend the registration process by two months to allow those who failed to register to do so.
In response to IOL News inquiries, City of Joburg spokesperson Nthatisi Modingonane said the City is aware of bribery allegations related to the business registration process.
“The allegations of bribes have been doing the rounds since the application process started,” he said.
Modingonane added that the city has not received evidence of bribery and continues to follow up and request evidence whenever these allegations arise.
He stressed that applications and approvals are the two separate processes.
“Submission of application does not guarantee that the application will be approved,” he said.
“There are several departments in the City which handle the process - from planning and built plans to environmental health to look at issues regarding certificate of acceptability.”
Modingoane urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling for any promises of a permit, as approval processes occur outside centres where applications are lodged.
“All applicants follow the same process, whether they are foreign nationals or South African,” he added.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, gave an update on the outcomes of the province-wide spaza shop registration process.
A total of 17,617 applications were submitted, which included 7,107 applications by foreign nationals.
The City of Joburg recorded the highest number of registration while Ekurhuleni metro has the highest number of applications by the foreign nationals with a total of 2,543.
The Gauteng municipalities issued a total of 4,610 certificates of acceptability, a mandatory business permit issued under Regulation R638 confirming compliance with basic food safety and hygiene requirements for food permit handling and transportation.
At least 128 of the certificates were issued to foreign nationals.
“A total of 15,478 spaza shops and food-handling facilities have been deemed non-compliant, with 498 of these closed with immediate effect,” Maile said.
simon.majadibodu@africannewsagency.com
IOL News
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