IN A MOVE to support spaza shops across the country, the Departments of Trade, Industry and Competition and Small Business Development will launch a R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund.
The fund provides various types of support including the initial purchase of stock via delivery partners, upgrading of building infrastructure, systems, refrigeration, shelving, and security, as well as training programmes which include Point of Sale devices, business skills, digital literacy, credit health, food safety, business compliance.
Initially introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in November last year, the fund will be administered by the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency, and will provide support to township businesses, convenience stores and spaza shops.
Small Business Development Minister, Stella Ndabeni, said the opening of the fund will mark…