21 days is enough to register businesses – Hlabisa

The 21 days set by President Cyril Ramaphosa for business owners to register their spaza shops and informal traders to do the same is enough. 

A person running a business should go to the municipality and register their business and not wait for the last day because on the last day you might have missing documents, and miss registering.

—  Velenkosini Hlabisa

Cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has maintained the time frame is enough despite public outcry.

“It takes only one day to register a business, so 21 days is enough; people must not wait until the last day. A person running a business should go to the municipality and register their business and not wait for the last day because on the last day you might have missing documents, and miss registering. Twenty-one days is enough, go and register your business today and tomorrow,” Hlabisa said.

Hlabisa was speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria where ministers of different portfolios were presenting their actions to address the ongoing foodborne crisis in the country.

He was flanked by ministers of health, justice and constitutional development, small businesses and enterprise, basic education, agriculture as well as trade and industry and competition.

As a response to the ongoing foodborne illness crises, the president ordered that all spaza shops be registered within 21 days starting from November 15.

However, business owners raised their anxiety about registering their businesses within 21 days.

They have complained that 21 days is not enough and pleaded with the government to extend it.

Hlabisa also said he will engage members of Operation Dudula who have been reported to be blocking immigrants from registering their businesses.

“Law enforcement will be on board to make sure that everyone who is preventing people from registering is engaged not to do so, but if there is no co-operation, [police] will have to act.

“I, on a personal level, will engage Operation Dudula, that yes they might be feeling strongly [about the issue of foreign nationals registering their businesses] but they should not take the law in their own hands.

“It should not take the remaining days to see disruptions going on non-stop. [The disruptions] should be stopped.” 

On the other hand, justice minister Thembi Simelane issued a stern warning against those who register on behalf of undocumented immigrants.

“We are concerned about surfacing allegations that suggest that some South Africans are assisting [undocumented immigrants] to fraudulently comply with the requirements for registration. This is clear fronting, and we would like to warn everyone who is involved in this illegal activity to stop.

“The Immigration Act prohibits any person from aiding, abetting, assisting or enabling an illegal foreigner to obtain a license on his or her behalf, to conduct any business or carry on any profession or occupation,” she said.

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