Task team set up to deal with illegal Gauteng spaza shops

By Simon Nare

Following a spate of food poisoning incidents in Gauteng involving children, economic development MEC Lebogang Maile has announced a multi-disciplinary task team to crack down on illegal spaza shops not towing the line.

Maile told reporters on Sunday that it was concerning that the township economy was being monopolised by foreign nationals who owned spaza shops, which were historically run by locals.

“This is occurring in a context where the South African economy has hurled millions of people, particularly those in townships and other historically disadvantaged areas, at the margins of economic activity.

“But it is not a new development. In fact, the situation has been ongoing for over a decade,” he said.

Maile said that a study by the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation found that more than 50% of spaza were run by foreign nationals between 2010 and 2013.

“The foundation also found that in Delft, outside