Zululand spaza shops under scrutiny

ALL businesses are forced to implement safety measures in their establishments to protect workers and the public against the coronavirus, but residents in townships and rural areas say spaza and tuck shops seemingly did not receive the memo.

According to local residents, most tuck shops and spaza outlets do not follow any protective measures, despite the virus causing devastation in many communities.

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No face masks are provided to protect employees, and no sanitisers are available for customers.

With the country still on lockdown and movement restricted, residents mostly have had to rely on tuck shops in their neighbourhoods to purchase essential goods.

‘People exchange money and goods every minute but shops don’t disinfect their surfaces.

‘None of them has any hand sanitiser or distributes pamphlets which educate people about the virus, like other shops in town do,’ said a concerned eSikhaleni resident.

Other shoppers said, since most owners and their employees sleep inside their container-turned-tuck shops, they fear these shops could turn into mini Covid-19 epicentres.

‘They cough and sneeze all over goods inside the shop, which put us in danger,’ said Mqobi Gumede from eNgwelezane.

In many letters written to the Zululand Observer, residents plead with authorities to monitor all township tuck shops and ensure they follow regulations.

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In terms of lockdown regulations, grocery stores which include corner shops, spaza shops, and fruit and vegetable stores are permitted to operate, but must uphold health and hygiene requirements.

Rules include ensuring social distancing of at least one metre between customers and between traders and customers.

According to the Department of Health, all shop owners must disinfect and sanitise trading spaces, and according to food safety and health standards, no person may stay overnight in the grocery store.

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