Zuko Komisa
More than 1,000 spaza stores, supermarkets, and warehouses have been shut down since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a number of steps two weeks ago to stop foodborne illness incidences.
President Ramaphosa had announced the immediate closure of spaza shops implicated in the deaths and stricter regulations to protect communities. To ensure compliance, the President ordered that all spaza shops and food-handling facilities must register with their respective municipalities within 21 days.
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In his yearly speech to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Parliament on Thursday, the president said that about two hundred thousand spaza shops had been visited. Particularly in townships and rural areas, the President recognized the vital role that informal traders and spaza businesses play in the economy.
The latest wave of foodborne infections, he added, has brought attention to a number of concerns connected to these businesses.
“Since we announced a range of measures two weeks ago, multi-disciplinary teams have been conducting inspections of spaza shops across the country.
“Nearly 200 000 spaza shops have been visited. More than 1 000 spaza shops, supermarkets and warehouses have been closed down. Large quantities of goods have been confiscated and numerous fines have been issued for violations of by-laws,”
“The tragic deaths of a number of children after eating food from some of these outlets has required urgent and decisive action to prevent the contamination of food by harmful substances, particularly pesticides that are being sold unlawfully,” the President said.
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