The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and the Department of Small Business Development (DSDB) will embark on a country-wide campaign aimed at creating awareness about the Spaza Shop Support Fund. The R500-million fund was launched by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau, and the Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Stella Tembisa Ndabeni in Soweto on 8 April 2025.
The national education and awareness campaign will be rolled out in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), the agencies of the DSBD and the dtic, respectively, which will be responsible for administering the fund. The campaign will be in the form of interactive sessions in which spaza owners will get an opportunity to learn more about how to apply for the fund and which requirements will they be expected to comply with.
The aim of the fund is to support South African-owned township community convenience shops, including spaza shops, in order to increase their participation in the townships and rural areas’ retail trade sector and to provide critical financial and non-financial support to township businesses, including community convenience stores and spaza shops.
The fund also provides various types of support including the initial purchase of stock via delivery channel partners, upgrading of building infrastructure, systems, refrigeration, shelving and security, as well as training programmes which includes Point of Sale devices, business skills, digital literacy, credit health, food safety, business compliance.
The fund also seeks to bolster the broader supply chain by fostering partnerships with local manufacturers, black industrialists and wholesalers. Through bulk purchasing arrangements and the promotion of locally produced goods, spaza shops will benefit from reduced costs and increased access to quality products.
The first session of the education and awareness campaign will take place at the Ndwedwe Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.
This session is scheduled to take place as follows:
Date: Friday, 23 May 2025
Time : 9:00
Venue : John Makhathini Hall (Civic Centre), Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal
Members of the media who are interested in covering the event are requested to submit their names to Mamosa Dikeledi via email at MDikeledi@thedtic.gov.za or WhatsApp on 066 301 9875.
Enquiries
Bongani Lukhele – Director: Media Relations
Tel: (012) 394 1643
Mobile: 079 5083 457
WhatsApp: 074 2998 512
E-mail: BLukhele@thedtic.gov.za
OR
Siphe Macanda – Director: Communication Management
Department of Small Business Development
Mobile and WhatsApp: 082 355 2399
E-mail: SMacanda@dsbd.gov.za
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DepartmentOfSmallBusinessDevelopment
X: @DSBD_SA
Website: https://www.dsbd.gov.za/
OR
Victor Malusi – Communications Manager
Ndwedwe Local Municipality
Mobile and WhatsApp: 060 773 0309
E-mail: victor@ndwedwe.gov.za
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ndwedwelocalmunicipality
Website: https://www.ndwedwe.gov.za/
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