Ramaphosa orders spaza shop crackdown amid child deaths – parties divided

Political parties have reacted with mixed emotions to measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in dealing with the rising number of food poisoning cases related to spaza shops.

In a public address on Friday, Ramaphosa said all spaza shops linked to the deaths of children should close down.

He also said all spaza shops should be registered and checked for compliance within the next 21 days.

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Furthermore, he said all illegal pesticides should be removed from the streets and some stores.

In total more than 800 cases of foodborne illnesses have been reported in the country since September.

In Gauteng alone, 441 cases of food-borne illnesses have been linked to spaza shops.

Strengthening government systems

African Transformation Movement (ATM) president Vuyo Zungula said the President’s speech lacked “consequence” management.

He said the government already has measures to ensure that the country does not have outbreaks of food-borne illnesses.

However, some officials are sleeping on the job.

“It is deeply disheartening to acknowledge that much of this damage could have been prevented had the ANC-led government championed the interests of the people of South Africa,” he said.

He said the prevalence of rats and the misuse of pesticides and insecticides underscores the urgent need for accountability and action.

“While these factors contribute significantly to foodborne diseases, it is crucial to point out that the issue transcends mere mishandling,” he said.

Environmental health experts

The DA said it welcomes the President’s address.

However, DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp said the President should increase the number of environmental health experts.

He said there are 1712 of them in the country while there should be over 6000 of them.

“Failing to address this shortfall may result in recurrence of the current situation.

We agree with the President’s assessment that poor service delivery in certain parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal may have added to this situation, due to unclean and unhygienic environments which become a haven for rats and other pests,” he said.

Rat problems at spaza shops

ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni told Newsroom Afrika on Friday that it is in the public interest to know who the owners of the spaza shops are in light of the deaths of 22 children.

She said it is important also to know where the poison found in some food items comes from.

“I would like to know and I think South Africa would like to know who the manufacturers of these pesticides are, how is it that they can dispense these pesticides and how is it that these pesticides are hitting the streets,” she said.

She described the President’s remarks as “reactive” and “late.”

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa vows to shut down shops linked to children food poisoning deaths