Crackdown on noncompliant Soweto spaza shops

Inspections into Soweto spaza shops have revealed noncompliance with consumer safety laws and some stores were found with expired food on their shelves yesterday.

During a sweep of about 16 shops by the National Consumer Commission (NCC), expired food was found on shelves and some owners had no proper documents to operate.

There were mislabelled or unlabelled items for sale.

Sweep of 16 spaza shops

The NCC carried out the raids on Monday and yesterday after six children died a week ago after eating snacks purchased from a spaza shop in Naledi, Soweto.

The inspections will continue for the rest of the week to check if owners are complying with the Consumer Protection Act and bylaws and regulations.

ALSO READ: Spaza shops: Investigators find expired food, foreign products and even bullfrogs

A shop that was raided and shut down last year after it was suspected that two children died after they ate biscuits bought from it, was found with no compliance documents yesterday. It was closed down again.

However, Joburg health and social development MMC Ennie Makhafola revealed last week the children did not die from food poisoning from the biscuits they bought at the shop, but it was from food they had eaten earlier.

Juliet Mokgatle, an investigator from the Gauteng office of consumer affairs, said yesterday the continued disregard for the law by businesses was a concern.

Continued disregard for the law concerning

“The shop was in bad condition and not compliant at all. The owner tried to close, but we were already onto him. We found loaves of mouldy bread on the shelf, displayed among fresh loaves for sale,” she said.

“These businesses not only flout the law, but put people’s lives at serious risk.”

ALSO READ: Locals must open own spaza shops

During the inspection, several shops were fined R2 500 for not being in possession of certificates of acceptability, indicating they were not registered to trade.

“We found widespread noncompliance, including goods with sell-by dates that had expired, lack of ventilation, cross-contamination and foreign-labelled products with unclear or no ingredient information,” Mokgatle said.

While the inspections are part of a broader crackdown on noncompliant businesses across the area, it sparked frustration among local business owners who claimed the inspections targeted South African-owned shops.

Frustration among local business owners

A local business owner, whose establishment has been operating for under a year, was fined R2 500. The man, who asked not to be named, slated the NCC and called the inspections “unfair”.

“I am angry because the shops still operating are owned by South Africans, not foreigners, and yet they are the ones being inspected,” he said.

ALSO READ: Tragic deaths of children: How spaza shop food can be contaminated by pesticides

“Last year, in October, we complained and marched and they promised to come but never did. Now it feels like they are targeting South African-owned shops.”

Prudence Moilwa, head of complaints at the NCC, said the inspections were part of a national drive, which was also being carried out in Buffalo City following similar incidents.

Moilwa confirmed the commission was conducting its own investigations and would be sampling products, particularly chips, which have been implicated in some incidents, to ensure safety.

NCC conducting its own investigations

“We’ve identified suppliers to conduct inspections and testing. Our goal is to prosecute and hold those responsible accountable. If found in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act, cases can be referred to the National Consumer Tribunal for prosecution,” said Moilwa.

Mokgatle blamed the continued operations of noncompliant shops to locals.

ALSO READ: ‘It is not enough to grieve’: MEC vows action after deaths of children in Naledi

“We keep coming back and issuing fines, but the businesses just pay and continue as usual. It seems like the community and landlords are allowing these shops to continue,” she said.