Spazas: An indelible part of township life and our culture
Spaza shops are enduring symbols of grit and creativity, but the recent food poisonings are changing their place in our collective unconscious
08 December 2024 - 00:00
The fingertips of tiny hands cling to the edge of a metal counter, so that the child they belong to can hoist their eyes just high enough to view the wares for sale. Little fingers weave into the metal grate, physically hankering for what's displayed in the colourful room beyond. In townships across the country, spaza shops present neatly packed rows of cans, stacks of starches, eyefuls of soaps, temptations of sweets and snacks, curtains of insect and rodent repellents, and cigarette sections complete with tied-down lighters or stuck-on matchbox strikes. ..
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