Gauteng MEC for health and wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has lamented the lack of food safety standards at some of the spaza shops in Ekurhuleni townships.
The MEC, together with City of Ekurhuleni officials and local councillors, conducted a food safety blitz in the area following the recent spate of deaths and children falling ill after eating snacks bought from spaza shops across the country.
This week, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed that Terbufos, a highly toxic organophosphate, was responsible for the deaths of six primary school children from Naledi, Soweto.
The six- to nine-year-old kids reportedly consumed snacks from a spaza shop owned by foreigners, which authorities determined was tainted with this deadly pesticide.
Food safety
According to Nkomo-Ralehoko, who was part of the interdepartmental team that visited spaza shops on Friday, the initiative aims to educate the public about food safety, monitor compliance with food safety standards by local businesses, and protect public health.
Some of the things confiscated at one of the shops illegally occupying municipal land in Alra Park include spices, snacks, expired sour milk, and meat.
“Some of the foods are on the floor and not on the shelves. We’re going to close the shop to ensure they follow the right processes and channels,” Nkomo-Ralehoko.
“But this place mustn’t be open again for illegal trading, even if it means the municipality has to demolish it.”
The MEC said she would also rope in the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority team after it was discovered that the foreigners were also selling “wrong” medication.
“These spaza shop owners aren’t compliant, and the building itself; they’re using municipal land, and that’s why we are closing it,” she said.
Unsubstantiated perception
Last week, the Department of Health rebuffed claims that the government is neglecting the issue of children dying from suspected food poisoning.
The government said the national joint operational and intelligence structure was treating the recent spate of deaths as a national security threat.
“These increasing incidents in black communities have led to an unfortunate and unsubstantiated perception that authorities are turning a blind eye to this crisis and seem not to care about what’s happening to citizens,” the department said in a statement.
“Contrary to these beliefs and perceptions, this is what various authorities have been engaged in.”
The minister of health has now involved the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) to assist in these cases.
Meanwhile, the inspectors from the department are also working with the teams selected from the South African Police Service, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Consumer Commission (NCC), under NICD’s direct supervision. – SAnews.gov.za
