Durban Residents Cry Foul As Bread Prices Rise After Spaza Shop Takeovers
Bread prices have reportedly jumped in parts of Durban after South Africans took over spaza shops previously operated by foreign nationals. Residents say the ownership change has been followed by higher prices for everyday essentials, leaving some households paying significantly more for basic goods.
The concerns have emerged in Chesterville and KwaMashu, where shoppers told IOL on 8 July 2026 that bread, tea bags and other small necessities now cost more at some locally owned shops.
Durban Residents Say Bread Prices Have Jumped
According to IOL, a Chesterville resident identified as Zandile said a loaf of bread that previously cost R20 now sells for R30 at some shops.
Zandile said: “We used to pay R20 for a loaf of bread, and now it’s R30 since the foreign spaza shop owners left the area.”
The 37-year-old single mother claimed residents had questioned shopkeepers about the higher prices but received little relief.
She added: “When we argue with them and ask why they’re charging more, they tell us to go back to the foreigners and buy it cheaper.”
Residents also pointed to differences in how spaza shops source stock. Foreign-owned businesses have often combined their buying power to purchase goods in bulk and negotiate better supplier prices, while some independent local operators buy stock individually.
KwaMashu Shoppers Raise Concerns Over Spaza Shop Prices
Similar complaints have surfaced in KwaMashu, north of Durban.
Londy, a 32-year-old resident, said even small purchases had become more expensive.
She told IOL: “Eish, it’s bad. The prices of almost everything have gone up in our spaza shops. Even a single tea bag. We used to pay 50 cents; now it’s R2.”
Londy also raised concerns about operating hours.
She said foreign-owned shops previously opened as early as 5am, allowing families to buy fresh bread before children went to school. Some locally operated shops, she claimed, now open later and close by 5pm.
One resident summed up the situation by saying: “We wanted this, so now we mustn’t complain.”
R500 Million Spaza Shop Fund Faces Compliance Hurdles
The complaints come as the South African government continues efforts to strengthen locally owned spaza shops.
The R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund was officially launched in April 2025 to support South African-owned businesses. A government update published on 29 May 2026 said R179.6 million had been approved for 2,369 spaza shops.
However, authorities said compliance problems, including invalid trading licences and other unmet requirements, had slowed access to the fund.
For Durban residents facing higher prices, the ownership shift has now brought a fresh concern: whether locally owned township shops can keep everyday essentials affordable while building sustainable businesses.