GMM clamps down on spaza shops
Zuma said their focus was on the selling of fake and expired goods, operating permits, business regulations, zonings of the shops and removing illegal electricity connections.
The eMbalenhle police arrested three spaza shop owners who are foreign nationals on November 3 for selling alleged counterfeit goods to the community.
According to Constable Busi Mthethwa, the eMbalenhle police spokesperson, the police conducted business compliance operations when they noticed the three suspects allegedly selling counterfeit goods to the community.
The members arrested the men on the spot. Mthethwa said the investigation continues, and their compliance operation is ongoing.
After complaints from various community members in the Govan Mbeki municipal jurisdiction, where they allege that some spaza shops are selling expired goods and food, the municipality’s different departments and councillors held a joined business compliance operation that included SAPS earlier this month.
During the operation, they shut down several spaza shops in eMbalenhle for various violations. The executive mayor, Nhlakanipho Zuma, also took part in the inspections. He said the municipality will not rest until all spaza shops comply with regulations.
Zuma said they focused on selling fake and expired goods, operating permits, business regulations, zoning of the shops and removing illegal electricity connections.
“The operation also looked into good hygiene and compliance required standards or these spaza shops.”
“They taught landlords of these businesses about the disadvantages of having illegal structures erected on their premises and the importance of approaching the municipal offices to apply for their residential sites to be turned into business sites,” said Zuma.
They visited food outlets, spaza shops and liquor stores owned by both South Africans and foreigners.
The municipal officials and environmental health practitioners searched through shelves and storerooms at several shops and found some food items to have reached their expiration date. They subsequently confiscated and destroyed these items.
Zuma said they will not tolerate any lack of compliance and will continue to conduct operations in the interest of residents, issue fines or even shut down businesses when necessary.
A foreign-owned shop was also closed in Leandra after selling expired food products to the public. Some items include drinks, sweets and canned goods that did not show a sell-by date.
They confiscated the expired items.
Zuma cautioned community members to always check the expiry date of products before purchasing and also said the municipality would continue to ensure compliance and adherence to business and municipal by-laws.
Zuma said that through the operation, they would target any shop owned by a South African citizen or a foreign national.
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