By REGINALD KANYANE

31 January 2025- The Northern Cape MEC for Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Bentley Vass encourages all Small Micro-Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), spaza shops owners and other food-handling convenience stores across the Northern Cape to register their businesses by the extended deadline of 28 February 2025. Vass said those who would lime to register, they should approach their local municipalities across the province.

“Those who have registered their businesses and have duly received their registration acknowledgment, still need to undertake a further process to obtain their trading licenses. For this process, Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) and other regulatory authorities will still inspect registered food-related trading businesses to ensure that these businesses are eligible to trade.

“The government will continue to implement the action plan across all its spheres to address the crisis of foodborne illnesses and the illicit trade of goods across the province,” he said.

Vass applauded businesses that have already approached their municipalities across the province to register their businesses in line with the address by the Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa on 15 November 2024. He further said in the address to the nation following the deaths of children due to food-borne illnesses, amongst measures adopted by the government, Ramaphosa outlined a key compliance intervention on the regulation of spaza shops.

Vass added: “We plead with all businesses that have not yet registered to heed the call and to comply with the requirements to register no later than 28 February 2025. This will assist the government to better support this important sector of the economy and ensure that we preserve lives.

“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.”

He said the multi-disciplinary inspections to strengthen adherence to legal frameworks governing trade and food safety across the Northern Cape are continuing. Vass said the government is committed to safeguarding public safety and preventing future outbreaks through sustainable practices and partnerships.

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