Zuko Komisa

The government has launched a R500 million support fund to boost South African-owned spaza shops in townships and rural areas, offering up to R300 000 per shop in combined grants and low-interest loans.
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, announced the Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF), aimed at job creation, poverty alleviation, and local economic growth.
The R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund, first announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last year, has officially been launched!
— Stella Tembisa Ndabeni (@Stellarated) April 8, 2025
With my counterpart Minister Parks Tau, we launched the fund today in Soweto.
The fund has been established to support township convenience shops,… pic.twitter.com/PEMra7tBej
The fund will cover initial stock, infrastructure upgrades, business tools, and Point of Sale (POS) systems. It will also assist shop owners in meeting hygiene and regulatory standards. Tau emphasised the fund’s role in formalising the informal sector, creating jobs, and stimulating local economies.
“By equipping spaza shop owners with financial support, infrastructure upgrades, and essential business training, we are setting the stage for sustainable job creation,” Tau stated.
He highlighted the fund’s focus on empowering women and young entrepreneurs.
The National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEFDA) will jointly administer the fund. Applications are now open through the websites: www.spazashopfund.co.za, www.nefcorp.co.za, and systems.sefa.org.za/SMMEPortal/.
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