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Owners of Small businesses, Spaza Shops and other food handling convenient stores are urged to register their businesses and meet the deadline of Tuesday 17 December 2024.

The deadline of the 17 December 2024 follows the announcement by President Ramaphosa on the evening of 15th November 2024. The counting of 21 days started on Monday, 18 November 2024 considering that Municipal offices are closed on weekends and public holidays.

Therefore, as the next week Tuesday deadline is looming, it is important for owners of these businesses to note the following facts with regards to registration:

The process of registration that is being undertaken does not include the whole process of licensing of a business, which is the application, review, approval and the issuance of the license or a permit to trade.

If one missed the registration window, it is important to note that the business cannot operate, and it must be closed down.

Following the current process of registration applicants are expected to receive an acknowledgement of receipt of their application. This will then be followed by a process of verification and inspection by relevant units such as Environmental Health, National Consumer Commission etc.

Once a business is registered within the prescribed period of 21-days, a further process to obtain a licence or permit to trade will be undertaken as per Municipal By-Laws and other compliance requirements.

Businesses who already have a valid business license or permit to trade need not go re-register.

To support and expedite the process, a national online registration platform has now been developed through the Department of Small Business Development and will be deployed by January 2025. This means that all businesses that missed the deadline may still register online in their respective Municipalities.

The Department of Small Business Development will support all Municipalities that do not have an online system. These will also be trained to capture their registrations on the national online registration platform including SMMEs and Spaza shop owners who experience challenges.

The funding criteria for the R500 million Joint fund to be set up between the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Department of Small Business Development, to support township SMMEs, including the Community Convenience Shops, has been finalized.

A window period for applications will be opened after the 21 Day registration deadline, and a guide for eligible applicants will be uploaded on the Department of Small Business Development website. The categories of eligible South African business owners have been uploaded on the website of the Department of Small Business Development.

It is also important to emphasize that a foreign national can only register or apply for a business license if they have a business visa, an asylum seeker certificate or a refugee certificate. Furthermore, a foreign national with a work, study or tourist visa is not permitted to apply for a business license or operate a business in the country.

South Africans, who are landlords, are also prohibited by Law, not to register businesses on behalf of illegal foreign nationals. Any South African who has been found to have fraudulently registered a business on behalf of an illegal foreign national will face the might of the Law.

Since the President's directive on 15 November 2024, Multi-disciplinary enforcement teams, supported by stringent regulatory oversight, are actively conducting inspections nationwide. They are identifying and closing non-compliant businesses while confiscating illegal and unsafe products that pose risks to public health.

These efforts have intensified, with door-to-door compliance checks and intelligence-led operations targeting food warehouses, supermarkets, and other food handlers to ensure public safety.

The multi-disciplinary inspections to strengthen adherence to legal frameworks governing trade and food safety across the country will continue beyond the prescribed period of 21 days. Inspections of imported food items, medicines, drugs, and pesticides have been intensified, with a particular focus on ports of entry.

Heightened surveillance at all 71 ports of entry, especially marine ports in KwaZulu-Natal (including Durban), is aimed at preventing the entry of unsafe goods. Recently, 470 liters of pesticides have been seized at a bonded warehouse and denied entry into the country. A collaborative operational plan involving SARS Customs, the Border Management Authority (BMA), and the Department of Agriculture will be rolled out during the festive season, targeting high-risk activities, and strengthening enforcement.

This coordinated approach reflects the government's dedication to addressing immediate risks while addressing the underlying vulnerabilities within the food safety ecosystem and illicit trade networks. The government remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding public safety and preventing future outbreaks through sustainable practices and partnerships.

The Government has also become aware of unscrupulous informal business associations falsely claiming to work with authorities to address the current foodborne illnesses outbreak. These groups are reportedly conducting unauthorized inspections and demanding fees for their criminal activities.

Provinces and Municipalities are advised to remain vigilant and cautious about such criminal behaviour. It is important to emphasize that no formal working relationship exists between the government and any associations conducting unauthorized inspections.

For more information on the registration process and to report unauthorized inspections, consumers and business owners are still advised to call the Zero-Rated 012 065 1490.

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of the National Joint Intelligence Coordination Structure (NatJoints)