No sales license for cottage industries |11 May 2005

For better marketing purposes it is recommended that entrepreneurs open a retail outlet or deposit their items in shops, but the regulations stipulated in the National Policy governing the setting up of cottage industries do make provisions allowing operators to sell at home if they choose to.

They will be allowed to do so as long as their activities are not a nuisance to their neighbourhood and they comply with health and safety regulations.

Previously in addition to paying licenses to carry out a snack production business at home for instance, the operator had to pay an additional R50 license to sell the products from their premises.

Ice-cakes, tanmaren konfi, nouga, popcorn, pickles and jams, just to name a few, were some of the items commonly sold from houses. It was also a common practice for seamstresses to offer tailoring services from their homes.

While entrepreneurs will be allowed to make fruit and vegetable-based products, the brewing of alcoholic beverages such as lapire and baka is strictly forbidden and do not fall in the category of cottage industry.

Activities such as mechanical repairs, panel beating and the making of charcoal are also not accepted because of the noise and smoke they produce, respectively.

Besides common activities, brake pad recycling, automated tyre changing services, massage therapy and herbal medication services, stationery manufacturing, laundry activities, and audio-visual productions are some of other interesting areas that can be explored.

Currently the majority of cottage industries in operation are involved in tailoring, craft-making and snack production.