Soweto tragedy: Blame lies with local officials, not foreigners

Unsurprisingly, the deaths of five children in Soweto – allegedly from eating tainted or expired food bought from a spaza shop owned by foreigners – has turned up the flame of xenophobia.

Community members feel that foreigners who own these shops are in South Africa illegally and that they care little for our laws – and particularly those which concern health, hygiene and food safety.

Public safety MMC in the City of Joburg Mgcini Tshwaku claims that “some foreign-owned stores have shown reluctance to comply with regulations”… but, at the same time, admitted the city has been slow in monitoring compliance and in clamping down on offenders.

Last year, though, Tshwaku announced plans to deploy “spaza shop patrollers” across the province.

ALSO READ: ActionSA’s plan to audit foreign-owned spaza shops in eThekwini allegedly rejected by ANC

At the time, Tshwaku said the patrollers will work alongside Joburg metro cops, monitoring about 1 000 spaza shops in Soweto alone.

Like many plans announced by politicians, this one still has to be implemented, with Tshwaku blaming the delay on “vetting and restructuring”… whatever that means.

We agree with the SA Spaza and Tuckshop Association’s Sibusiso Ngcobo that the lack of inspections and regulations are major contributors to the deaths.

This is not about foreigners, it is about local officials not doing their jobs.

NOW READ: Three children die following suspected food poisoning from instant porridge