The Democratic Alliance (DA) urges the Gauteng Department of Community Safety, MEC Faith Mazibuko, to initiate regular inspections of all spaza shops across the province to monitor compliance with health and safety regulations.
The MEC should work with municipalities in conducting these inspections, and action should be taken against non-compliant spaza shops and supermarkets.
This follows the recent tragic incident at Mandlethu Primary School in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni, where a grade 1 pupil died after allegedly eating biscuits bought from a spaza shop in the area.
It is unacceptable that another life has been lost due to the Gauteng Provincial Government and municipalities’ failure to prioritise compliance and safety measures for all types of businesses, including spaza shops.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) urges MEC Mazibuko to work together with municipalities to conduct a thorough inspection of all spaza shops in the province to examine whether health and safety regulations are being followed, whether spaza shops are legally operating, and if some of the items they sell have expired. We also urge the law enforcement agencies to crack down hard on those who deliberately violate food safety regulations to the detriment of our children.
We also urge parents and communities to protect their children by reporting suspicious products or practices by spaza shops to the authorities. Only a concerted effort will help us win the fight against illegal spaza shops selling unregulated food.