The Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF) is an initiative aimed at supporting township-based Community Convenience Shops, particularly spaza shops, which play a vital role in South Africa’s informal economy. These businesses provide essential goods and services, contribute to job creation, and serve as an accessible retail option for underserved communities.
However, they face challenges such as:
- Competition from major retailers with greater purchasing power.
- Limited access to capital and business development support.
- Food safety and compliance concerns, affecting consumer trust.
- High operational costs, making it difficult to remain competitive.
- Social and economic tensions arising from foreign-owned spas shops dominating the market.
To address these issues, the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa), working with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic) and Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), have introduced the SSF offering financial and non-financial support to help spaza shops become more competitive, compliant, and sustainable. This initiative is designed to enhance food safety, promote local ownership, and improve business sustainability in township economies. For more info please visit: https://www.spazashopfund.co.za
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