With reference to this article published on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality – https://mype.co.za/spaza-shops-face-21-day-countdown/ – in which Spaza shops are being targeted for compliance in Ward 60 many questions arise. So, don’t judge before you know.
One question has been asked by MyPE of the Municipality; “Why is Ward 60 is being ‘targeted’ or used as an ‘example’? Is the non-compliance higher or is there some other reason?”
The NMBM answer was as follows; “The Metro is targeting all Spaza shops to ensure compliance. Councillors including the Administration and other government departments are working in the various areas around the Metro to ensure compliance.”
My experience of these Spaza shops reaches back to the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when we used to install security systems for the shop owners.
For many of them the following was the norm:
- No adherence to building regulations
- No formal registration or compliance
- No SARS registrations
- No adherence to labour law
- Successful intimidation of people who burglarised these shops.
In deference to the political climate of the time one can almost forgive the Spaz shop owners for their non-compliance of apartheid tainted regulations.
In essence the Spaza shops were then, and are probably still now, a source of daily shopping for the poorest of the poor. One would see people coming in and buying a quarter loaf of bread and a kool-aid sachet for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The need for Spaza shops is clear:
They service a very marginalised community with little or no access to the basics that a lot of us take for granted – electricity, running water, fridge, stove, microwave, place to store food safely, transport, ability to bulk shop (constrained by money, space and public transport) the list goes on. As a consequence the SPaza shops fill a great need.
As a result these marginalised people are EXTREMELY price sensitive and EXTREMELY protective of what little rights and dignity that they possess. I am sure that you will agree with me that this creates a tinder keg for protest.
Today we have a different marginalised community running the Spaza shops in mainly foreign (and mainly Somalian) owners who are willing to sleep on the floor and work for pennies.
So What Changed from 1994?
In 1994 many of the Spaza shop owners were ‘energised’ to formalise their businesses and come out into the open. Many moved to more expensive accommodation away from the townships and, unfortunately for them, this formalisation and increased living and transport pressures put a much bigger strain on their ability to make profits. So, many moved on, gave up or sold their businesses to others.
BUT, The Municipality has other bigger fish to fry as well
The biggest one is non-compliance with the bye-laws and specifically building regulations.
It is my opinion that many of the structures in the townships do not comply and have no registered plans. Many RDP homes have become ‘palaces’ and the centers of a growing ‘estate’ with many backyard structures.
The economics are simple – the rates and taxes charged by the municipality are largely based on floor plan size. The greater the area, the greater the tax. In addition a property with a second habitable dwelling also attracts an increased rate.
Add to the above that illegal structures along a perimeter create an increased chance of disease transmission, noise complaints, increased pressure on sewage and services and the very real chance of a disaster such as fire not being contained in time.
So what is my point?
The current ‘Spaza Shop Blitz’ is a typical knee-jerk reaction to an identified problem that could have been avoided if ALL of our municipalities across South Africa had ensured strict compliance to all bye-laws in ALL suburbs. One is left with the feeling that the former townships were granted ‘hands-off’ status in exchange for their votes and, now that an ‘enemy’ has been identified (one that does not have the vote), we are taking action against a ‘soft target’.
I pray that I am wrong and that my assumption is not; “A mother of all Farg Ups!”
Alan Straton
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