Spaza shops: State urged to intensify policing of informal food outlets

Government and its institutions need to be stricter in bylaw enforcement to prevent the sale of harmful food, according to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

He described the recent food-based illnesses and fatalities as a strange phenomenon.

Motsoaledi said the national structure responsible for coordinating the security of the state was treating these incidents as a threat to the security of the country and its citizens.

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Spaza shops inspected after deaths

The recent deaths of five children prompted clean-up and spaza shop inspections across Johannesburg and Pretoria.

More than 70 people were treated in recent separate suspected food poisoning incidents across the country.

On Thursday, the Tshwane Metro Police Department conducted a bylaw operation in cooperation with the SA Police Service and crime prevention wardens to check on compliance.

Freedom Front FF Plus spokesperson for health Philip van Staden said the deaths and hospitalisation of children who presumably ingested poisonous food from spaza shops and street vendors were indicative of how poorly bylaws were being enforced.

Van Staden said local health inspectors were “missing in action” when it came to street food sales.

“Restaurants, chain stores and formal takeaway shops have to comply with stringent legislation and regulations to obtain a licence and keep operating.

The reason for this is obvious, to prevent the sale of harmful food.

“It makes no sense that informal traders and vendors are getting a free pass to sell any type of food,” he said.

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Health inspectors deployed while problem expands to other provinces

Van Staden said the FF Plus welcomed the National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa’s stepping in by deploying 80 health inspectors and the active involvement of the police, agriculture, the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa and environmental inspectors.

“What is, however, alarming is that health inspectors need to be trained before they are able to perform their jobs.

“This shows there has been much ignorance about the quality of fast food,” he said.

Van Staden said government and its institutions were responsible to ensure harmful food should not be sold to the public.

“Food sales should be stringently controlled, regulated and policed.

“To achieve this, properly trained people should be appointed and government should break away from the ANC’s modus operandi of waiting until something breaks, or people, die before action is taken,” he said.

Van Staden said the answer was simple: municipal law enforcement should be reinforced with support from the provincial and national governments.

“Moreover, the problem is quickly expanding beyond the borders of Gauteng and 22 children were recently hospitalised after they presumably ate food bought from street vendors.

“Similar cases have been reported in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal, as well,” he said.

Van Staden said the policing of informal food outlets should be intensified.

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