Residents of Khayelitsha have called for the closure of local spaza shops following the discovery of expired food discarded along a busy road in Town Two. The disturbing find occurred when children were spotted picking up sweets on their way to school, only to discover they had been dumped in a waste container.
When municipal workers arrived at the scene, they uncovered bags containing expired items such as maize meal, noodles, biscuits, and sweets, with some products dating back to 2021 and 2022.
Ward councillors Mthwalo Mkhutswana and Thando Pimpi immediately contacted the police and asked them to assist in shutting down the spaza shops in the area.
Mkhutswana expressed concern over the possibility that the food had been discarded following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent announcement regarding a crackdown on hazardous goods. “We suspect the food was discarded by vendors who saw the national directive and decided to dump their expired stock,” he said.
Although the police responded to the scene, they stated they would return with additional officers and city officials to investigate further.
This incident follows President Ramaphosa’s call for a nationwide effort to remove dangerous pesticides from circulation, along with a new mandate for all spaza shops and food facilities to register with local municipalities within 21 days.
Khayelitsha resident Nolwandle Solani recounted a tragic incident where a child who consumed food from an illegal dump site died after becoming ill. “We recently buried a child who ate chips from a discarded pile in the BM Section. He fell ill, and his mother found him foaming at the mouth before he passed away,” Solani said. “We want authorities to act swiftly to protect our children.”
Community members reported the expired goods to the authorities, who arrived to examine the situation. The incident has raised alarm over the safety of food sold in spaza shops.
Activist Mbulelo Dwane called for a frank discussion about the responsibility of spaza shop owners. “We must ask ourselves difficult questions if these shop owners continue to sell expired goods, putting our children and community at risk,” he said.
This follows a recent legal case where the owners of Gubta Meats in Mfuleni were charged with operating an illegal butchery. The case highlighted concerns over food safety and illegal practices within local businesses.
Patricia van der Ross, the Mayco member for community services and health, reminded the public to report unsafe food practices to local environmental health offices or the City’s Technical Operations Centre at 0860 103 089.
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