SAPS continues to clamp down on non-compliant spaza shops and supermarkets
The regular operations are meant to prevent food poisoning incidents.
The Brakpan SAPS Vispol commander, Colonel Robert Makopo, was supported by chief superintendent Faith Buthelezi from the EMPD when he conducted a parade on the police station grounds on January 28.
The operation to inspect spaza shops and supermarkets comprised SAPS, EMPD bylaws unit, Ekurhuleni Environmental Health department, Department of Economic Development, and SARS representatives.
Non-compliance of shops that sell food is still a nuisance for the authorities, and regular operations to enforce compliance on these entities are underway.
The Brakpan SAPS formed part of the team to support the municipal departments when they conducted inspections as a force multiplier and by opening case dockets if needed.
The team visited 10 supermarkets and spaza shops during the operation, of which nine were closed with written notices of operating without a certificate of acceptability from the Ekurhuleni Environmental Health Department.
They also removed unlabelled, expired, and repackaged food worth R3 600 from shelves and destroyed it in a waste truck.
The law enforcers had to mediate and protect the health inspectors from a group of unruly community members at the Mgongo informal settlement (Old Location), who became violent and uttered intimidating statements towards the health inspectors who were closing non-complying spaza shops.
EMPD officers professionally handled and dispersed the group, becoming a threat to the health inspectors.
Makopo thanked all stakeholders for their involved in the operation and cited that there is a need to conduct regular operations of this calibre because they work as a strong preventative measure of worst-case scenarios.
