Spaza shop owners looking to grow their businesses can apply for support through the Spaza Shop Support Fund. Launched in 2025 by the department of small business development (DSBD), the fund is aimed at supporting eligible spaza shops and other food-handling outlets across South Africa. The fund offers qualifying businesses funding of up to R100,000.
The financial support can be used for shop upgrades, business training and stock purchases. Business owners who would like to access the funding are encouraged to follow these steps: Before applying, visit the fund’s website and review the eligibility requirements to ensure that your business qualifies for support. To qualify, the spaza shop owner must be a South African citizen or have been naturalised as a South African citizen before 1994.
The business must operate in a township or rural area and serve the local community. The business must also be registered with the local municipality in line with relevant by-laws and licensing requirements. In addition, applicants must be registered with the South African Revenue Service (Sars) or qualify for a six-month transitional period.
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Spaza shops must comply with all relevant legislation, including food preparation, and health and safety requirements. The owner must actively manage the business. Applicants should prepare all the necessary supporting documents before starting the online application process.
These include: Applicants seeking funding of more than R80,000 will also be required to register with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) within six months of receiving funding. Once all the required information and documents have been gathered, applicants can submit their applications through theonline portal. Applicants should ensure that all information provided is accurate and that supporting documents are uploaded correctly.
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