The Cape Winelands District Municipality’s (CWDM’s), Municipal Health Services (MHS) and various partners, hosted workshops for Spaza shop owners at the Colibri Community Hall in Wellington on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
In an effort to address concerns around food safety at spaza shops, MHS identified that spaza shop owners needed improved understanding of the rules and regulations pertaining to the running of a safe store. The aim of the workshop was to ensure that spaza shop owners understand how and why they need to comply to the various regulations. Through compliance to the various regulations the products being sold to the public are safe. It focuses on helping small, but vital businesses follow the correct guidelines to maintain their Certificate of Acceptability (COA) as well as show them how to obtain their permits. These are the two most important documents needed for the business to continue to operate.
The training highlighted several key issues such as:
- Food handling,
- the use of pesticides,
- hygiene standards,
- municipal requirements certification and inspections,
- safe storage and temperature control and,
- the labelling of prepacked food/snacks.
To further reinforce positive hygiene practices, cleanliness and environmental responsibility; spaza shop owners were treated to “Oom Shakes Learns to Clean” the interactive theatre production performed by the Klein Libertas Theatre group which was thoroughly enjoyed.
“We as Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP’s) go out to do monitoring and compliance checks (inspections) twice a year. If you see us more than twice a year, it means your shop has an issue. If we do inspection and find that your business is not complying, we can revoke your Certificate of Acceptability (COA) even if you are already in possession of a COA, which would then mean that you would need to reapply”, said Janine Julies (EHP) of the CWDM.
Spaza shop owners within Drakenstein can contact their local environmental health practitioners at the office of the CWDM, 194 Main Road, Paarl or phone 021 871 1001 regarding Certificates of Acceptability (COA). To obtain permits, they can head to Drakenstein Municipality, located at Bergrivier Blvd S, Esterville, Paarl, 7622. Permits are processed on the second floor.
CWDM is committed to health education, training, ensuring compliance and a safer and healthy community.
