The City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor, Councillor Dada Morero, together with the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Economic Development, Nomoya Mnisi, officially launched the Gauteng Spaza Shop and Informal Traders Expo Summit on Tuesday.
The launch, a collaborative initiative between the Department of Economic Development and Business Culture, serves as a precursor to the main summit scheduled to take place in September.
Executive Mayor Morero said this summit must therefore do more than acknowledge informal trade. It must place it where it rightfully belongs at the centre of our economic future.
“The township economy is not outside development. It is an integral part of it. If we are serious about inclusive growth, structural transformation, and long-term resilience, then we must build from where people live, work, trade, and sustain their livelihoods,” he said.
MMC for Economic Development, Nomoya Mnisi, emphasised that the launch should serve as a catalyst for greater opportunities within the informal trading sector.
“This platform must connect traders to suppliers, markets, and networks that will strengthen their businesses. When informal traders grow, the township economy grows,” said Mnisi.
Mnisi further highlighted the importance of collective effort, noting that sustainable growth in the sector requires strong organisation among traders, active community participation, and meaningful partnerships with the private sector.
“Most importantly, it requires your voice. Your lived experiences must shape the policies and programmes that affect you. This must not be a once-off engagement, but the beginning of continuous dialogue as we expand these discussions to other regions,” she said.
Business Development Director at Business Culture, Mandisi Dube, outlined the objectives of the upcoming summit and the broader SME development programme.
“The summit aims to redefine and strengthen the ecosystem for informal traders and spaza shop owners. We are bringing together key partners across technology, compliance, and enterprise development to support traders in building sustainable businesses,” said Dube.
Dube further noted that, ahead of the summit, a series of workshops and activations will be rolled out to equip traders with essential skills.
“These initiatives are designed to ensure that participants are better prepared to run successful and competitive businesses,” he said.
Speaking on the partnership between the City of Johannesburg and Business Culture, Dube emphasised the importance of collaboration in driving impactful outcomes.
“This partnership brings together training expertise, digitalisation capabilities, and the City’s infrastructure for compliance, all aligned towards achieving strategic outcomes for a thriving local economy,” he added.
Mnisi concluded by calling for continued engagement and unity within the sector.
“Let this be the beginning of ongoing engagements where we build practical, inclusive, and sustainable solutions. Traders must continue to organise, engage with the City, comply where necessary and demand the support they deserve. Support one another, build networks, and grow together,” she said.
This partnership between the City of Johannesburg and Business Culture aligns government’s mandate for economic empowerment and township revitalisation with innovative enterprise development models aimed at supporting informal traders to become sustainable and digitally enabled businesses.
ISSUED BY THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG
