Government launches proclamation to regulate spaza shops amid growing food safety concerns
DELMAS – A popular eatery near the Delmas taxi rank, Delmas Pizza, was forced to a shutdown by angry community members after women were made to eat live worms in a plate of rice.
On Wednesday, November 6, Thato Mothupi (35) and Nomfundo Buda (22) visited the restaurant, owned by a foreign national, for lunch.
They told Highveld Chronicle what initially looked like moving rice, was actually worms from the contaminated rice.
The duo made the puke inducing discovery after they ate almost half the plate of rice and chicken stew.
“I saw some movements in the plate. I asked myself what kind of rice that is moving. Upon closer inspection, I noticed it was worms,” said Buda.
“The entire plate was infested with worms.”
Disgusted, they decided to leave the establishment. As they exited, they approached a nearby security guard who advised them to contact local community leaders for assistance.
Some members of the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) led by Diikgetse “Slash” Sepenyane responded and visited the shop for inspection.
“We’ve found worms in food, expired products, and unsanitary conditions,” said a SANCO member.
“Foreign shop owners are putting our community’s health at risk.”
The incident has sparked serious concerns about food safety practices in local eateries, as the community calls for stricter regulations to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“Despite repeated warnings, they refuse to comply with health regulations. It’s time for them to leave South Africa,” the member continued. “We demand accountability from municipality officials and enforcement of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, which reserves certain businesses for locals.”
However a community member who introduced himself as Tbos, told the paper there has been several warnings emanating from allegations of contaminated food in the same shop before. “But people still continue to buy from the shop despite those warnings,” he said.
“But we can talk until we are tired against buying food from shops owned by foreign nationals, its people’s decision at the end of the day. We can’t stop them.”
The operation has proceeded with inspections of various shops within the Victor Khanye Municipality, where shocking discoveries of expired food, groceries, snacks, and liquor were made, all of which were destroyed. n what is now deemed a national crisis, following a growing number of child deaths from food poisoning and contamination cases since the beginning of the year, the government is taking action to address the situation. Speaking at the presidential imbizo in Umgababa, Durban, on November 8, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a new government proclamation to be led by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), aimed at regulating spaza shops in South Africa to address the rise in food-borne illnesses. This initiative will improve food safety standards.
“Our children are dying from dangerous chemicals found in the food or snacks they buy from spaza shops,” he said. He criticized the “recklessness” of shops storing hazardous materials alongside food. Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has been tasked with leading the response, which includes inspections, regulatory guidelines, and penalties for non-compliance.
