From spazas to Pick n Pay stores

Selected spaza shops in Soweto and the Vaal region have been transformed into mini Pick n Pay convenience stores as part of the Gauteng government mandate to upscale township economies.

On Sunday afternoon‚ the MEC of Economic Development‚ Lebogang Maile‚ visited five of the spaza shops that have been converted into Pick n Pay stores to assess their operations and directly engage with entrepreneurs operating them.

The project which started early this year through a partnership with Pick n Pay has seen local businesses now able to compete with foreign-owned outlets that have mushroomed in all the townships.

Through the conversion of the five stores into mini Pick n Pays‚ over 61 jobs have been created and local suppliers also have an opportunity to supply products in these outlets.

Solly Legae‚ who now runs a successful Pick n Pay outlet in Diepkloof Zone 3 in Soweto‚ said the concept has been a game changer as he is now able to offer quality service to his customers.

Legae runs the business with the assistance of his 22-year-old daughter Nelly and he says the battle with foreign-owned outlets in the townships should be about what type of service is being offered and letting customers make their choices.

"I'm more than happy to be part of this new venture as it gives us locals an opportunity to learn how big retailers operate. My eyes have been opened and now I know the work and skills that go into running a shop‚" Leagae said.

Inside his store‚ which is in the busy Marthinus Smuts Drive‚ shoppers are able to get most of the Pick n Pay products they would get if they travelled to town or any other big shopping centres.

From branding to prices the new stores have brought quality service to the door step of shoppers. The young Legae hopes to be the next Raymond Ackerman and change the face of shopping in the townships.

The conversion of spaza shops is part of the Gauteng provincial government's Township Economy Revitalisation Strategy to boost the township economy and create employment.

Gauteng Enterprise Propeller acting CEO Leah Manenzeh said while the project was still in the early stages‚ she was excited about the feedback her office gets from the shop owners.

She said as part of the township economy transformation agenda‚ they approached a number of big retailers to help local businesses.

"Our township shop owners struggle to compete and hence the tension. Through this project we are able to partner them with big retail and they not only get skills but are able to do bulk buying and continuously service their customers without running out of stock‚" Manenzeh said.

She said what was of value to owners was the after care service they continue to receive from government and Pick n Pay and hoped that more big retailers would join in and reinvest in the townships.