Two spaza shop owners have been arrested and two businesses shut down following a law enforcement operation targeting illegal and non-compliant businesses in Craigieburn, south of Durban.
The blitz operation, conducted in the Umkomaas area, involved officials from the eThekwini Municipality and various law enforcement agencies who inspected both formal and informal businesses.
Authorities said the inspections focused on verifying business licences and ensuring compliance with health, safety and immigration regulations.
According to officials, the two shop owners who were arrested failed to produce valid business licences and were found to be in the country illegally.
The two businesses were subsequently closed for operating in contravention of regulatory requirements.
Authorities have vowed to maintain a strong enforcement presence in the area as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal business activities and protect consumers.
The operation forms part of a broader compliance drive across the province and follows a similar crackdown in the Durban CBD last week.
During that operation, law enforcement officers arrested 23 undocumented foreign nationals and shut down five retail outlets found to be operating unlawfully.
The latest enforcement action comes amid government's ongoing efforts to ensure compliance within the spaza shop sector.
While more than 82,000 spaza shops have been registered nationally, authorities say only about 15,000 currently possess valid trading permits.
Officials have urged business owners to ensure that they comply with all applicable laws and regulations to avoid enforcement action.