This comes as the provincial government intensifies its food safety campaign to ensure compliance with health regulations, following a surge in food poisoning cases among children across South Africa.

The campaign, launched on Saturday (16/11) in the Sol Plaatje municipality, aims to enforce stringent food safety standards among spaza shops and other local food retailers. It follows alarming reports of children who were hospitalised after consuming unsafe food sold at certain locally-owned and foreign-owned shops. President Cyril Ramaphosa has since called for the immediate closure of shops found to be non-compliant, particularly those implicated in food-related fatalities.

Northern Cape Police inspecting local spaza shops in Kimberley. Photo: Facebook 

The launch was marked by a joint operation led by outgoing Sol Plaatje Mayor Kagisho Sonyoni, MEC for Cogta and Transport, Safety and Liaison Bentley Vass, and external stakeholders. Inspections were carried out at 33 spaza shops in Kimberley and surrounding areas, revealing concerning levels of non-compliance.

According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Mashay Gamieldien only seven shops met the required standards, while 26 were shut down due to violations such as operating without a valid license, selling expired, damaged, or rotten food products, maintaining unhygienic premises.

The police visited local tuck shops. Photo: Facebook

Large quantities of illicit food items, including expired canned goods and spoiled vegetables, were confiscated. Additionally, nine undocumented individuals were detained, and one person was arrested for riotous behavior. Three fines were also issued during the operation.

Gamieldien urged residents to exercise caution when purchasing food, emphasising the importance of checking expiry dates on packaging, ensuring shops are clean and meet basic hygiene standards, and paying attention to the conditions in which food is prepared.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg