Makana Municipality
Stacks of expired food‚ slaughtered and live animals in a butchery and gas and paraffin stored in close proximity to electrical plugs are some of the discoveries made by a multi-disciplinary team from Makana Municipality cracking the whip on non-compliant businesses this week.
The team was led by Makhanda Executive Mayor, Yandiswa Vara, and aimed at eliminating criminality and general lawlessness from the community under the theme “Operation Fiela”.
This is the second Fiela operation since the success of the first one in December last year.
This week the municipality visited multiple shops, checked for Illegal advertisement boards, and kicked off the Easter Holidays road safety operation. During the safety operation, the team checked for fatigue, drinking, and driving among other things.
Expanding on the shop blitz spokesperson for the municipality, Anele Mjekula, says the group started off at Diamond Cash and Carry store in Beaufort Street where a large amount of the stock was expired.
“The shop was ordered to close immediately to ensure that the expired stock was removed.”
He says an inspection into the back area of the shop old food and other goods were found discarded in the store room.
“The condition of the store room was highly hazardous, as gas and paraffin were stored in close proximity to electrical plugs.”
Revisiting Five Star Supermarket Mjekula says at first glance it appeared that the store had made significant improvements from the last visit in December, however, all this changed when officials stepped into the store room at the back.
He says scores of expired goods were discovered stashed in the store room and had to be confiscated.
The group also visited township stores.
At Maisha Supermarket on R Street, the group found several expired items and also discovered that the shop owners kept flammable equipment in a confined space.
At Jackie Supermarket and Butchery in Fingo Village, they also found expired goods.
“Officials also found slaughtered and live animals in the butchery.”
He says that the municipality will continue until they are satisfied with compliance in all local businesses.
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