Trade, Industry, and Competition on Spaza Shop Support Fund launch in Bizana

The Mayor of the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality (WMMLM) in the Eastern Cape, Councillor Daniswa Mafumbatha, has welcomed the Spaza Shop Support Fund and stated that it would help improve the local economy, particularly the lives of unemployed people in rural areas. Mafumbatha stated this during a campaign to raise awareness of the Spaza Shop Support Fund in Bizana today.

The campaign was hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (the dtic) and the Department of Small Business Development (DSDB). The R500-million fund was launched by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau, and the Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Stella Tembisa Ndabeni in Soweto on 8 April 2025.

Mafumbatha asserted that small enterprises played a major role in improving the economy and lowering unemployment. According to Mafumbatha, the fund’s assistance to the spaza shop owners will undeniably improve the municipality’s economic status.

“As a municipality, we are committed to enhancing the quality of life for our citizens, and the funding support is unquestionably what is required to magnify other initiatives aimed at doing so. I implore all spaza shop owners to make sure that their papers are in order, in order for them to receive the support in large numbers,” Mafumbatha continued.

A spaza shop owner, Ms Thuthula Madikizela described the campaign as an opportunity for the locals to get more information on compliance and funding of spaza shops. According to her, the assistance will be greatly appreciated because many people lack the funds necessary to make their stores successful and sustainable.

“We are grateful that the departments are also assisting us with the application process, as we sometimes miss opportunities because of filling forms wrongly,” said Madikizela.

More than 400 people attended the event.

The national education and awareness campaign is in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), the agencies of the DSBD and the dtic, respectively, which will be responsible for administering the fund. The campaign will be in the form of interactive sessions in which spaza owners in and around Mbizana will get an opportunity to learn more about how to apply for the fund and which requirements will they be expected to comply with.

The aim of the fund is to support South African-owned township community convenience shops, including spaza shops, in order to increase their participation in the townships and rural areas’ retail trade sector and to provide critical financial and non-financial support to township businesses, including community convenience stores and spaza shops.

The fund also provides various types of support including the initial purchase of stock via delivery channel partners, upgrading of building infrastructure, systems, refrigeration, shelving and security, as well as training programmes which includes Point of Sale devices, business skills, digital literacy, credit health, food safety, business compliance.

Enquiries
Bongani Lukhele – Director: Media Relations
Tel: (012) 394 1643
Mobile: 079 5083 457
WhatsApp: 074 2998 512
E-mail: BLukhele@thedtic.gov.za

X: @the_dtic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedti?mibextid=ZbWKwL
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedtic
Website: https://www.thedtic.gov.za/

Siphe Macanda – Director: Communication Management
Department of Small Business Development
Mobile and WhatsApp: 082 355 2399
E-mail: SMacanda@dsbd.gov.za
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DepartmentOfSmallBusinessDevelopment
X: @DSBD_SA
Website: https://www.dsbd.gov.za/

Mr. Thamsanqa Cwibi – WMMLM Head of Communications
Tel: 039 251 0230
Mobile: 063 869 8150
Email: cwibit@mbizana.gov.za

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