The spaza shop registration drive has led to a high volume of applications for name reservations, new company registration and foreigner assurance verification with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).
Since President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement of 21 days period for registration of food-handling businesses in townships and rural areas, the CIPC has increased its turnaround times due to delays caused by high volumes.
It now takes:
- 10 to 15 working days to complete the foreigner assurance process (in the instance the director is a foreign national that does not have a South African identity number)
- five working days for name reservation
- five to 10 working days on new company registrations
The commission said these delays will continue until all spaza shops are registered with CIPC and the respective local municipalities. The commission said it has increased capacity in the areas by embarking on overtime in key affected areas. It has encouraged customers to adhere to the relevant specific channels to assist them with the most efficient registration process. These include the use of its Bizportal by all local directors (meaning they have a South African identity document – except approved asylum seekers).
Additionally, CIPC has extended working hours at its self service centre from 8am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm. If any of the directors are foreign nationals they should use the CIPC’s e-services platform.
SowetanLIVE
Registration drive overwhelms CIPC
High volume of applications cause increase in turnaround period
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
The spaza shop registration drive has led to a high volume of applications for name reservations, new company registration and foreigner assurance verification with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).
Since President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement of 21 days period for registration of food-handling businesses in townships and rural areas, the CIPC has increased its turnaround times due to delays caused by high volumes.
It now takes:
The commission said these delays will continue until all spaza shops are registered with CIPC and the respective local municipalities. The commission said it has increased capacity in the areas by embarking on overtime in key affected areas. It has encouraged customers to adhere to the relevant specific channels to assist them with the most efficient registration process. These include the use of its Bizportal by all local directors (meaning they have a South African identity document – except approved asylum seekers).
Additionally, CIPC has extended working hours at its self service centre from 8am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm. If any of the directors are foreign nationals they should use the CIPC’s e-services platform.
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