Tshwane extends period for informal traders application
13 April 2020
Due to the unexpected high number of informal food traders that have applied for permission to trade and the Easter holidays that disturbed the processing of the applications, The City of Tshwane has decided to extend the application period for a further three days in order to process the outstanding and expedite new applications.
The initial closing date for the applications was last Thursday, 09 April 2020, and the City has already issued 5500 permits. We have decided to re-open the application period from Wednesday, 15 April 2020 to Friday, 17 April 2020, and relocate the entire process from the regions to a centralised point in the Tshwane CBD.
The new application venue is the Ou Nederlandsche Bank Building (Bitts Centre), situated on the corner of Parliament and WF Nkomo Streets (Old Church), Church Square from
09h00 – 15h00.
The regulations for the informal food traders to apply for special permission to trade are in line with the amended regulations announced by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosana Dlamini-Zuma, on Thursday, 02 April 2020.
The amended regulations are calling on the grocery stores and wholesale produce markets, including spaza shops and informal food traders, to obtain written permission from the municipality to operate such businesses.
The Minister indicated that informal food trade referred to spaza shops and fruit & vegetable stores, but not informal street traders. The regulations are aimed at preventing and curbing the spread of the Corona virus during the 35-day lockdown period declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa a few weeks ago.
The informal traders are expected to comply with the national regulations and sell essential products only and observe physical distancing of 2 metres from the customers. Submission of the application form does not automatically guarantee granting of permission, but it affords the municipality the opportunity to critically assess the applications and ensure that they meet the criteria for basic foodstuffs as set by national government.
The informal traders are reminded to practice proper hygiene measures such as washing of hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and to use hand sanitisers with 60% or more alcohol content.
Issued by Communication, Marketing and Events Department.