Spaza Shop Support Fund campaign goes to Mpumalanga

Image source: mirco1 – 123RF.com

Township-based entrepreneurs in the area will have an opportunity to engage directly with government and its partners on how to access vital support to grow and sustain their businesses.

Led by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC) and the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), the ongoing campaign forms part of a national drive to raise awareness about available support for spaza shops and township convenience stores. It aims to close information gaps and bring services closer to communities.

Following successful stops in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, the Free State, and the Northern Cape, this leg targets entrepreneurs and spaza shop owners in the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Ka Seme Local Municipality and surrounding areas, who are often underserved but play a vital role in the local economy.

At the centre of the campaign is the R500m Spaza Shop Support Fund, launched by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau and Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni, in April 2025.

The fund is administered by the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa) and the National Empowerment Fund (Nef) agencies of the DSBD and the DTIC, respectively.

Attendees in Volksrust will receive detailed guidance on how to apply for financial and non-financial assistance, including:

• Access to affordable stock through delivery partners.
• Infrastructure upgrades such as shelving, refrigeration and security.
• Point-of-sale devices.
• Business training on compliance, digital literacy, credit health and food safety.
• Market access support through partnerships with black industrialists and local manufacturers.

“The initiative aims to boost the competitiveness of township businesses and foster inclusive economic participation by bringing more informal retailers into the broader retail value chain,” the dtic said in a statement.