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Toxic foodstuff: Don’t tar us all with the same brush – spaza shop operators

The reports of poisonous foods sold to the public sparked public outcry, with some residents calling for the closure of all foreign-owned spaza shops across SA.

Amid the intensified crackdown on spaza shops and several reports of pupils who have died and others falling ill after allegedly consuming food bought from spaza shops, the Boksburg Advertiser visited randomly selected shops in various parts of Boksburg to get the operators’ stance on the issue which has, of late, become a matter of grave concern countrywide.

The outcry saw others take matters into their own hands by raiding suspected spaza shops.

All these events seem to have, over the past few weeks, prompted authorities in Gauteng and other parts of SA to shift their attention to increased law enforcement on all environmental health matters as a way of eradicating the sale of toxic foodstuffs and counterfeit goods, which pose significant risks to public health and safety.

During the recent targeted Boksburg raids on spaza shops and supermarkets, most of them owned by foreign nationals, multidisciplinary teams uncovered expired and wrongly labelled products and unhygienic practices by some operators. Non-compliant operators received warnings, while some manning the shops were arrested for failing to produce documents authorising them to remain in the country.

Not all of us

Most operators who spoke to the Boksburg Advertiser in Boksburg North and the Boksburg CBD refuted claims that they are operating illegally and selling expired or counterfeit products in their stores, saying their shops are certified to operate.

The operators showed this publication their certificate of acceptability issued by the city’s environmental health division, and others produced documents they described as business licences and trading permits to prove they are law-abiding residents who operate their businesses lawfully.

The shop owners claim they buy their stock from local and reputable wholesalers and suppliers. They also said their businesses go a long way to providing jobs for locals, who, in turn, provide essentials for their families.

A general view of a supermarket in the Boksburg CBD.

While they all said they welcome the increased routine inspections and understand the public outcry over the sale of unsafe food items, the operators said painting all foreign-owned spaza shops with the same brush must be denounced on all sides because it has an unsettling effect on them because it can potentially heighten what they dubbed ‘created tensions’ between foreign spaza shop operators and some locals.

They added that the call for the closure of all foreign-owned spaza shops sends the wrong message, which suggests all spaza shops owned by immigrants are selling dangerous items and trading illegally.

Some operators blamed the sale of dangerous goods on a lack of frequent inspections, saying they believed thorough and regular inspections on all shops and hefty fines for those found non-compliant and selling expired foods would eliminate the problems at hand.

Others said instead of only focusing on possible negligence by some shop owners, the manufacturers of the unsafe foods, particularly children’s foods, must also be dealt with.

Rana Masud, Shamim Mohammed and Anis Talukder say their supermarket on Commissioner Street is sometimes accosted by potential bogus inspectors, who illegally raid their business under false pretences.

Rana Masud, an asylum seeker originally from Bangladesh, who, with his fellow countrymen, operates a supermarket near the Boksburg Police Station, said his shop is licensed, they are in SA legally and have run the shop for many years without a single complaint or issues related to the sale of expired products or poisonous food.

“Why blame all of us because police and health inspectors frequent our shop to check compliance and nothing major was found here? Whenever they come here, they advise and educate us on what items we should avoid selling to the public and keeping the shop clean to prevent contamination.

“We check our stock more frequently, and if something expires, we destroy and dispose of it because apart from the laws and regulations, we value our customers’ lives like our own.

“We are innocent, and we also don’t like what others are doing to the communities they serve, particularly some township and informal settlement-based small shops and vendors.”

Masud and his workers reminded customers that as a precaution against unsafe food, it is crucial to check what they buy from any shop, whether in the informal or formal sector.

“While we check our stock and change manufacturers who supply us with expired food, customers must also take charge of their lives by ensuring anything that they buy does not pose health issues.

“Attention should also be given to manufacturers and suppliers, who must also be checked for counterfeit and unsafe goods before they reach shops.”

In another issue, Masud flagged some problems with potential bogus health inspectors and other industry regulators who hoodwink them into believing they are doing something wrong and demand an offer to turn a blind eye to the fabricated non-compliance story.

“Some of these fake inspectors who come here to harass, you could see that they don’t even have the basic knowledge of the industry regulations, yet they still come here to take chances.”

Shopkeeper Shamim Mohammed, also originally from Bangladesh, suggested that the government conduct community awareness campaigns to educate consumers about goods that pose serious risks to public health and safety.

He said this must include disseminating information about understanding food safety practices even in households, identifying counterfeit products and reading labels.

Titu Ahmed, who hails from Bangladesh and runs a supermarket in the Boksburg CBD, said those who pose health risks to the community, which in turn taint the reputations of shop owners, must be dealt with accordingly.

Titu Ahmed, from Bangladesh, who runs a business called Boksburg Supermarket in the Boksburg CBD, said he had his shop inspected by local authorities several times, and they found nothing wrong. He said his documents are in order, so he was not arrested or issued a fine for a non-compliant business.

“We don’t sell expired products here. And it is not to say these things are not happening because I know some people, most in the townships, are doing it, but I don’t think it is fair to blame everyone.

“Some people, especially in the townships where many shops are rarely inspected, are reportedly taking advantage of the lack of inspection and sell these things even to innocent children.

“It’s not good because expired products can kill people and might result in mistrust of all spaza shop owners.

“Children and some adults don’t know how to check this thing is right. So, we have to be honest, especially with children’s foods, including chips and baby formula.”

Concerning expired items and hygiene, Ahmed said at the shop, they have hired people to clean, do stock rotation and look for expired items.

“If a product is not sold before the expiry date, we remove it from the shelves, shred and put it in our secured dustbin to prevent anyone from taking it before the rubbish truck arrives to collect garbage, but some of the qualifying products are returned to the supplier for exchange,” explained Ahmed.

Ahmed, however, encourages customers to check the conditions of the items they buy because it is also possible for those assigned to check and remove expired items to make mistakes or forget to remove the unsafe product before someone buys them.

“However, if a mistake like that happens here, we will not hesitate to refund the customer. I don’t see why any other shop operator who respects his customers can refuse to change it or refund the customer. That should prompt the operator to recheck the stock on the shelves, particularly the items similar to the returned expired product.”

When asked his stance on the intensified inspections and raids on their shops, Ahmed said: “We will always submit to inspections by authorities because they are doing their job and we are doing our business right. The inspection also exonerated us from the blanket blame.

“They must continue visiting every shop maybe at least twice per month because if they stop, some shop owners will take advantage of that and break the law again.”

Shop operator Rana Uddin said not all foreign-owned shops pose health risks to the community.

Rana Uddin, who has a supermarket, corner of Trichards Road and First Street, said authorities recently stormed his shop, saying they were looking for expired goods.

“I told them to check, and they found nothing had expired because I don’t sell or display expired food. I have been running this shop since 2012 and am not breaking the industry laws.

“My shop is licensed. As an asylum seeker, my documents to be in the country are valid and allow me to do business to survive. I have also employed locals who take care of their families from what they get here .”

Aziz Abdul at his workplace at City Fish and Chips in Cason.

Aziz Abdul, a manager at City Fish and Chips on Cason Road, Boksburg North, said: “We, at this shop, respect the rules and have all the relevant certificates to sell food. We keep our working environment as clean as it should be, and the local environmental health inspector down the road can attest to all of this. Not all of us do the wrong things.  We buy our stock almost every week, and we don’t keep spoilt food.

“The government must deal with those who are breaking the laws and putting people’s lives at risk,” said Abdul, who originally hails from Bangladesh and has a work permit.

Community members are urged to report any outlet selling food items or counterfeit goods which are posing significant risks to public health and safety to the city’s environmental health offices for swift action.

Authorities cautioned against unauthorised food safety inspections. Business operators who are accosted by bogus inspectors are advised that they can verify the authenticity of so-called health practitioners by calling the city’s environmental health offices, depending on the area which the practitioner claims to be from.

Report any outlet selling unsafe food items or counterfeit goods

Boksburg and Vosloorus: 011 999 5407

Alberton: 011 999 2970

Tsakani/Duduza: 011 999 8200

Kempton Park: 011 999 6461

Benoni and Daveyton: 011 999 6431

Brakpan: 011 999 8148

Springs and KwaThema: 011 999 9001

Nigel: 011 999 6663

Edenvale: 011 999 3335

Alberton and Germiston: 011 999 0347/8 or 011 999 5737 or 011 999 0530

Katlehong 1 and 2; and Thokoza: 011 999 2347/8 or 011 999 2466

Also Read: Have a say in childcare and spaza shop policies

   

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