The numerous raids that have targeted tuck shops and other businesses that sell consumable goods, came after the death of six children earlier this month in Naledi, Soweto after eating snacks suspected to be poisoned, bought from a foreign-owned tuck shop.
The city’s MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku led a raid in Lenasia yesterday, where he says they found non-compliant businesses. “There must be a closure of these spaza shops, and do a re-evaluation and you must actually reissue these licences with a proper audit in terms of the food, in terms of the buildings and there must be proper compliance of that is actually happening. But on our side- we will start with the areas of Soweto, which is quite a lot of problems there.”
“When we did the inspection last year, we spoke to the national spaza shop owners, that you’re not complying, and the majority of all the spaza shops that you have- they don’t comply at all. So, what normally happens is that the owner of the houses, they apply on behalf of whoever is going to own this spaza shop- and then what happens at the end, the guys come in normally the Ethiopians and the Pakistanis,” adds Tshwaku.