The Municipal Health Division is responsible for licensing certain types of businesses trading within the jurisdiction of the MANGAUNG Local Municipality (MLM). These businesses are by law required to be in possession of a business license and a Certificate of Acceptability (COA) while other food related businesses are only required to be in possession of a Certificate of Acceptability (COA).

A business license grants the holder of such license permission to trade within the MANGAUNG Local Municipality jurisdiction from a particular premises and there is a payable fee, while the Certificate of Acceptability (COA) only certifies that the premises from which the business is performed, meets the health requirements and is issued free of charge.

Business licenses are issued in terms of the Business Act (Act 71 of 1991), and are categorized as follows:

• Item 1: Restaurants, Take – Away, Cafes, (Food preparation outlets)


• Item 2: Entertainment settings (Cinemas, Video Stores, Adult Entertainment Settings, Game Centers)


• Item 3: Hawkers selling food in the form of a meal

• All businesses selling food but not in the form of a meal (eg. Hawkers selling fruit and vegetables)


• Butcheries not selling ready to consume food


• Food storage and warehouses