Gauteng launches township retail programme to regulate spaza shops
The province is working with Family Tree Holdings, an organisation working towards formalising spaza shops, on the initiative.
The aim is to “reclaim” the township retail economy, stimulate local manufacturing and accelerate job creation by transforming informal spaza shops and tuck shops into convenience retail stores.
The programme also aims to demonstrate how new township enterprise zones can create and support associated opportunities.
This comes after the Township Economic Development Act, which was signed into law in July. The act seeks to regulate these shops, transforming areas in townships into commercial zones.
It also makes provisions for the establishment of the Gauteng Township Development Fund, which seeks to provide affordable and accessible lines of credit and loans to township-based enterprises.
According to Tau, the projected total number of jobs to be created for the 2023/24 financial year is 32,000 while an estimated 16,000 businesses will be supported.
