The Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has sharply criticised the ANC's recent announcement of an R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund, labelling it a reactionary measure designed more for electoral gain than genuine community empowerment.
The fund, unveiled last week by the Ministers of Small Business Development and Trade, Industry, and Competition, aims to stimulate economic growth and support township businesses.
In a statement reflecting the party's discontent, Nhlamulo Ndlela, spokesperson for the MK Party, expressed scepticism about the initiative’s true intentions.
“This launch comes as a reactive measure to oust foreign spaza shop owners but fails to address the food safety issue at hand that led to the tragic deaths of children who consumed poisonous snacks from the same spaza shops,” Ndlela stated.
The MK Party’s concerns are rooted in a recent food poisoning crisis that reportedly affected 441 individuals, primarily children aged 6 to 10, who consumed unsafe snacks from spaza shops between 2024 and 2025.
Ndlela emphasised the ANC government's delayed response to this pressing issue: “We call into question why the ANC government has waited this long to aid the development of South African-owned local small business.”
He further criticised the government’s lack of proactive measures to prevent the food safety crisis, arguing that the focus should be on establishing better safety standards in the informal retail sector.
“While informal trade plays a vital role in the economy, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition should concentrate efforts on assisting township businesses to establish better safety standards,” Ndlela urged.
The MK Party insists urgent action is needed to protect local spaza shops from competition from foreign operators who often lack proper licensing and safety certifications.
“There is an urgent need for stringent regulations to protect locally-owned spaza shops from cheap imports,” Ndlela added, stressing the importance of safeguarding South African communities and ensuring the safety of products available to consumers.
Ndlela described the R500 million fund as a “political grandstanding” effort that fails to effectively provide the necessary interventions to support local businesses.
“This launch fails to protect South African communities and does not provide the critical intervention required to protect local township businesses from cheap, unsafe imports,” read the statement.
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