Spaza shop
The term Spaza shop describes a small, informal shop in the townships or in rural South Africa . It is usually practiced in the residential building, in the dealer's apartment or in a separate building structure with goods for everyday use.
This class of shops emerged in the process of townships expanding, making getting to a legal retail store too difficult or expensive. They represent an attractive source of income for the owners, as their business is often unlicensed and therefore operated without tax liability.
The shopkeepers are mostly poorly educated in commercial matters, often black women. The educational policy aimed at inferiority during apartheid is considered to be the cause of involvement in informal economic structures . The South African government is now trying to offer the owners training. The foreign owners of such shops pose a particular problem, however, as their stay is often illegal and support from the state could lead to anger among the local population.
In the case of unregistered Spaza shops , it is also not possible for the owners to operate a bank account for their business. As a result, they have to store relatively large amounts of cash themselves and are consequently more often the target of theft and robberies. The increase in such violent crimes prompted the provincial authorities in particular to take action against the owners of the black market, especially since the trade itself is associated with criminal and dangerous activities (production of alcohol).
The operators usually drive themselves to larger settlements using public transport or taxis and buy the goods in retail stores in order to sell them on in their own villages.
Web links
- Report on a project to support Spaza Shops at SAP TV (English)
- Website of a magazine for further training and support of Spaza owners ( Memento of October 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
- Article about the threat of Spaza shops through conventional retail chains (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Definition of terms on the eThekwini Municipality website. (English)
- ↑ 38 FM Orkin: Living in KwaZulu-Natal. Selected findings from the 1995 October household survey . The informal economy. Central Statistics 1998. ISBN 0-621-27820-3, on www.statssa.gov.za, PDF document page 46-47 (English)
- ↑ Hlengiwe Nhlabathi: Plan to empower spaza shop owners . Report from June 29, 2012 on www.sowetanlive.co.za (English)
- ^ South African Government: Media release by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety on looting of shops - IPID requested to investigate apparent lack of policing . on www.info.gov.za (English)