Durban has been having its fair share of the expired foods and other products scandal that is sweeping South Africa. On Margaret Mncadi Avenue, an unlicenced supermarket had to be closed after being found to be in serious violation of health and safety standards. The shop in question was selling expired food products and out-of-date (expired) nappies. The eThekwini Municipality is overseeing operations that enforce the by-laws and rid eThekwini of dangerous food items in a massive crack down on Spaza shops and street vendors that are selling expired goods to unsuspecting consumers. The raids are well underway.
The multidisciplinary action involving Durban Metro Police and various departments within the eThekwini Municipality was prompted by the hospitalisation of 890 people and the death of 22, mainly children, across South Africa. The victims had allegedly consumed contaminated food products that were bought from spaza shops. Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the Council approved the implementation of a strategic intervention to assist and empower local tuckshop owners in eThekwini Municipality in September. She said, “The municipality is currently conducting tuckshop inspections throughout the City to issue notices for non-compliance with health regulations. The inspections are conducted by a multidisciplinary team which includes Durban Metro Police, SAPS, the Fire and Emergency Unit and Business Licensing.”
The need to have local government inspection and self-regulation on behalf of the local shops should go hand in hand. The risk of food poisoning puts the lives of the public at risk particularly the children. Local municipalities across the country particularly ours should have been weary of the emergence of unregistered Spaza shops. The municipalities under the direction of the national and provincial governments should have been monitoring the development of the Spaza Shops and whether they were following all the health regulations and by-laws. This has proven to be a matter of life and death for as regards to the children concerned as well as the other consumers. The recent health inspections by the municipality are well and good but the community needs to see these done on a regular basis.
According to metro police, during an operation conducted at the Durban CBD, a supermarket at 87 Margaret Mncadi Avenue was inspected and found to be in serious violation of health and safety standards. “Expired goods, including packs of nappies, were being sold at the shop as well as compromised food items in rusted tin cans. The store was operating illegally, and the premises were unsanitary and unfit for operation. The expired and unsafe goods were removed and disposed of in a compactor truck. The store has been closed due to non-compliance with by-laws. We urge all businesses to comply with legal requirements and ensure public safety,” said Metro Police.
Meanwhile, the City is on a drive to ensure the safety of residents by enforcing by-laws to regulate spaza shops. Sisilana said that business owners need to also apply for the Certificate of Acceptability (COA), a food business permit that is issued to govern general hygiene requirements for food premises, the transport of food and related matters.
One of the key tasks the municipal and provincial governments can do is educate students and members of the community about the harmful effects of buying from unlicensed Spaza shops. Checking the expiry dates on products being sold in these shops is a good way to avoid buying them. What is more those shops that are selling expired goods unlicensed should be reported to the local health authorities. Setting up a helpline for consumers to the municipal health authorities could also work. The reason why the expired nappies were so controversial was because they don’t work anymore. They can easily soil through. The by-laws should always be enforced strictly to avoid health problems like poisoning in food.
The registration and day-to-day regulation of the Spaza Shops should be conducted by the municipality. Inspections should be conducted weekly by the health authorities with no laxity. Only those shops and even local restaurants that deserve the COAs should receive it. All the preparations related to the foods in the shops need to be looked at. The packaging, transport, place of storage and everything related to it.
Meanwhile the work of the police is never done nor is it ever simple.
Durban — Five unlicensed firearms were recovered after a shoot-out between law enforcement and suspected house robbers left three suspects dead and two were arrested. At about 9am on Tuesday, when Marshall Security’s Special Operations Team members were patrolling, they saw a white Toyota Corolla on Inanda Road which was believed to be involved in two house robberies that had occurred earlier in the morning in the Reservoir Hills and Malvern areas. “Authorities are actively working to link the suspects to these crimes as part of the ongoing investigation,” Powell said. He said the evidence and arrested suspects were taken to Newlands SAPS for further investigations and processing. “We remain committed to ensuring the safety of our community and thank all the role players for their assistance,” Powell said.
The attainment of the firearms shows that the police are taking their jobs seriously. This is good news given how dark the illegal weapons trade is like other forms of the black market. The fact that these firearms were in the possession of house robbers (burglars) is a point of concern. Thieves are becoming more emboldened to invade the premises of others even if they risk their lives. Three of the men have died and forensics will find out who they are. It is good that the Marshall Security’s Special Operations Team saw and identified the white Toyota Corolla and followed it. It shows that with the progress of time even evasive criminals will eventually face justice. The surviving two house robbers in particular will eventually be linked to the crimes that were perpetrated in the same area. If they still have any stolen goods in their possession, these will be returned.
It is incidents like these that shows crime does not pay.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
