Rowan Callaghan
Local spaza shop-owners in Ivory Park no longer have to make long journeys to replenish supplies now that the Ivory Park spaza wholesalers have set up shop in the township.
The wholesalers operate from blue shipping containers, donated by Safmarine, in a mall- type complex, selling everything from food stuffs to building materials.
The project was started in 1994 by consumer group Malbak which worked closely with the Ivory Park Business Association and other partners. The organisation was involved in securing the land for the project, training prospective entrepreneurs and negotiating with financial institutions.
Dennis Malan of Malbak says the company has spent R800 000 on Ivory Park so far.
“Two years back we started to negotiate with this company and now we have something,” Kleinboy Tau of the Business Association said in his speech at the projects opening. He also called for Malbak to invest in permanent structures in the future.
So far the wholesalers have, in their first month, registered 300 buyers who spent R100