Tshwane Metro
SAPS together with Metro officials continue to clamp down on Spaza shops across the country, especially in urban and peri-urban areas to ensure that they comply with health standards.
This after seven children died this month, allegedly as a result of food poisoning from snacks they bought at spaza shops.
Six of the victims died in hospitals in Gauteng while two children died in the Free State.
All the victims were aged between two and nine.
Spaza shops, which form part of South Africa's township economy are a booming business with over 150 000 shops nationally in the informal sector.
This is according to a recent survey done by Accenture in Africa that further found that 80% of the national population visits these shops on a daily basis.
In August Mushambi Matuma, commerce lead for Accenture toll Moneyweb that numbers released by Trade Intelligence showed the market value of these shops to be R178 billion.
The recent deaths of primary school children have put a new focus on Spaza shops, which are mostly run by foreign nationals in the country.
Community members are now in a panic which has spread to the Eastern Cape, in particular the Buffalo City Metro (BCM).
As Gauteng police continue to crack down on shops in the areas where children were hospitalised, Eastern Cape Police have followed suit.
In East London, communities are now taking it upon themselves to conduct operations in Spaza shops, due to the anxiety brewing around the country.
Spokesperson for BCM Samkelo Ngwenya says in certain areas residents have started looting shops of food products.
He says in the interest of safeguarding citizens, BCM will intensify its ongoing operations to target shops.
Ngwenya says Spaza Shops have to meet certain minimum health standards and municipal requirements and the Metro will close non-compliant shops until they make the necessary changes.
He says although the recent reports of deaths are concerning, community members should at all times abide by the law.
"Communities are currently not empowered by law to conduct operations in any food premises in the country.
"The Metro has the duty to protect both consumers and shop owners to ensure sturdy economic growth in our neighbourhoods.
"Councilors and Traditional leaders are encouraged to take the lead and contact the Municipal Health Services directly for any suspected food products within their communities.
"The requests will be actioned swiftly, in accordance to the department's capacity, " he said.
Last week officials in the BCM and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro arrested 76 foreign nationals and confiscated expired sweets, biscuits, fake spices, fake Eno and Med lemon, fake toothpaste items, Hooka charcoal, illicit cigarettes and a wide range of other items, including pharmaceuticals, fake pregnancy test, prohibited schedule 5 and 6 medicines, cosmetics, and fake sexual enhancing gels worth millions.
Algoa FM News made inquiries about the outstanding autopsy reports on the seven victims and is awaiting feedback.
