A local digital company is building a tool to help spaza shops and tuckshops move from paper records to digital business management.
Ntombii Tech (ntombii.tech), a northern KZN tech company, is testing Spaza Tab, a mobile-first web app designed around the daily realities of small local shops.
The platform started testing in March and is currently being used by five local tuckshop owners, with early use focused on credit tracking, stock management and sales recording.
For many shop owners, the problem is not that they do not run proper businesses. The problem is that they are often forced to run those businesses with fragile tools.
Credit is written in notebooks. Stock is tracked by memory. Sales are recorded by hand, if they are recorded at all. When a book is lost, damaged or disputed, the shop owner can lose money and trust at the same time.
Spaza Tab is built to solve that everyday problem in a simple way.
The app allows shop owners to record customer credit, track payments, manage stock, capture sales, view sales history and monitor daily shop activity from one phone. It also includes a till/POS function, making it easier to record cash, card/EFT and customer tab sales.
One of its key features is the digital customer ledger. Shop owners can see who owes money, how much they owe, how long they have owed, and whether a customer is paid up, active or overdue.
Customers can also access their own tab through a QR code or shop link, after approval from the shop owner. This gives customers a clearer view of their balance and helps reduce disputes around credit.
Sabelo Ndlovu, founder of Ntombii Tech, said the goal is to build technology that speaks directly to the realities of local shop owners.
"Spaza shops are real businesses. They deserve tools that help them run better, protect their money and prepare for growth," said Ndlovu.
Spaza Tab is free to use during its current testing phase. Shop owners who want access can request it through Ntombii Tech by visiting ntombii.tech or contacting the company directly.
Ntombii Tech (ntombii.tech) is also seeking support to help the platform reach more businesses across the Amajuba District, including Newcastle, eMadlangeni/Utrecht and Dannhauser.
The support needed includes shop onboarding, training, technical support, QR posters and local rollout partnerships.
For shop owners, the promise is practical: fewer lost credit records, better stock control, clearer sales history and stronger business records.
For the local economy, the bigger message is clear: spaza shops and tuckshops are not side hustles. They are part of the community's business infrastructure — and Ntombii Tech wants to give them tools that match that reality.