As a sixth child, who allegedly consumed contaminated snacks in Naledi, Soweto, died at the weekend, calls have been made for municipalities to take stringent measures to ensure the safety of food sold by small businesses, especially spaza shops.
Five of the children who died after they allegedly consumed contaminated snacks from a foreign-owned spaza shop in Naledi were laid to rest on Sunday.
The deaths of these children have ignited a national outcry over the safety of food being sold especially at small, often unregulated businesses.
Asked about food product inspections in shops in eThekwini Municipality, the City’s spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the City maintains a register of small businesses that sell food.
“Routine food inspections are conducted based on risk-based operational plans, incorporating minimum inspection schedules and joint compliance operations. The frequency of inspections may vary depending on the inspection findings, which could require additional follow-up visits,” she said.
When violations are found, such as the sale of expired or contaminated food, businesses face strict penalties, she said.
“If businesses are found selling old, expired, or contaminated food, or operating in unhygienic conditions, the municipality enforces strict penalties,” Sisilana said, noting that these could include statutory notices, food seizures, and even business closures.
She added that the City’s health unit has a food safety laboratory capable of conducting bacteriological tests to assess the safety of food and the hygiene of preparation areas, while chemical samples are sent to the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) for analysis.
Dr Imraan Keeka, the DA’s KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson on health, highlighted the risks associated with expired food.
“Expiry dates for foods and medicines have a scientific method for their determination and are not simply done through guesswork,” he said, stressing that expired food could harbour harmful bacteria or lose its nutritional value, leading to serious health consequences.
Keeka warned that food poisoning from expired or contaminated products can result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever, with severe cases potentially leading to hospitalization or death.
He urged consumers to be more mindful about food storage and expiration dates.
“We should always be conscious about not wasting food by buying too much and allowing it to expire.”
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal expressed deep concern about the safety of food sold in spaza shops, especially following the Soweto incident.
“The safety and well-being of all South Africans, particularly our children, must be a priority,” said Mafika Mndebele, the ANC’s provincial spokesperson.
He said the ANC has proposed several preventive measures to address the issue. These included stricter regulations, more frequent inspections, and a more rigorous licensing process for spaza shops.
“The ANC proposes that local government, working together with provincial health and safety authorities, implement more frequent inspections of spaza shops, particularly those handling perishables,” Mndebele added.
The party also called for food safety education for shop owners and the establishment of a community-based reporting system. This would empower residents to report shops selling unsafe or expired food products.
Meanwhile, ActionSA has launched an online petition and is demanding a probe into tuck shops operated by illegal foreigners.
The Mercury