‘They failed’: Frustrated school food vendors ‘given the runaround’ by Gauteng Education

School food vendors have slammed the Gauteng Department of Education for alleged disregard and lack of urgency.

A group of vendors held a protest at the department’s offices in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, on Tuesday demanding to be reinstated and allowed to trade in and around schools in the province ahead of the 2025 academic year. It followed a similar protest by the group three weeks ago.

The department banned all vendors from selling inside and around schools last month after a spike in food poisoning incidents involving children in the province. This ban was later lifted for those who complied with requirements or had registered with the relevant authorities.

The group said they have been trying to get the relevant permissions and apply for registration but have been given the runaround.

The department did not respond to The Citizen‘s requests for comment. Any update will be included, once received.

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‘How can we kill the same people that we rely on?’

Mother of three Marjorie Mangciphu travelled from Orange Farm and told The Citizen that the ban on vendors had left her desperate and worrying about how to put food on the table.

“We were stopped with immediate effect, without any concrete evidence.

“How can we kill the same people that we rely on?

“I’ve been selling, even in my home, and no child has died,” she said.

“Our government continues to oppress us. They don’t care.”

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The demands

The group’s memorandum calls for the department to allow existing food vendors to trade in the new school year for 12 months. During this time the food vendors must be assisted by the department and municipality offices with registration and compliance.

They also called for the department to hold broader consultations with representatives of food vendors in and around the schools, and SGBs to revamp the current regulations.

The memorandum includes calls for the school feeding scheme programme service providers to be included in the list of stakeholders who must comply with food safety regulations.

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‘They have failed’

Musa Mbewe, a representative of United SA, a civil group made up of various political parties, including ActionSA, handed over the memorandum to department officials.

“These vendors have not killed any child. However, they are being subjected to at the hands of the department and government. These are people who have taken care of and raised school learners.

“These are the true custodians of what township economy is, and what government should be doing is to empower and equip them, but they are being failed,” she said.

“They should have conducted evidence-based investigations to determine the source of food illnesses in identified schools where the learners were sick, but they failed.”

Department official on school safety and security Lexicon Mutshekwane received the memorandum.

He said the department would respond this week and promised to get the matter resolved soon.

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