VCC willing to cooperate with Operation Dudula leaders

Despite the cooperation displayed by the Vosloorus Cash and Carry (VCC) business managers, Operation Dudula continued with plans to close down the shop until it proves its cooperation with SA laws.

This follows after the operation launched a new branch in Vosloorus at Lesedi Shopping Complex on February 2.
The launch was followed by a march to VCC, where leaders of the operation met with VCC managers to voice their concerns.

According to the Vosloorus branch secretary of the operation, Eugene Mogotlane, the community is concerned about the groceries and products that are being sold in the township.

He said those products are supplied by VCC and most of them, if not all, are not good for human consumption as they have expired.

“Such goods are poison to our system. We cannot take that anymore because our people are getting sick. You do not respect the expiry date on food,” said Mogotlane, addressing VCC managers.

“Businesses such as of yours are taking our Kasi economy,” he continued.

“You are not even employing people from this community who are supporting your rotten food, instead you are employing other foreign nationals whom you are exploiting, we know of that.

“So we here today as members of the community and the forum to say this place must shut down because of the food you are selling to our people,” said Mogotlane.

VCC manager Abdulahi Abodolle said all the products that they are selling are being manufactured in SA.

“There are people assigned to work on every shelf, we have instructed them to check the stock before they book it. They must check the expiry dates and the condition of the item whether it is compliant with the laws of SA,” said Abodolle.

He suggested that the community could have communicated with them before raising their grievances in such a public manner.

“We would have shown you the documentation of our workers. This shop has been operating for almost 15 years,” said Mohammed.

He said when they opened the shop the only people who were buying from them were foreign nationals, but locals started supporting them because of their reasonable prices.

“We add value to the community. During the Covid-19 period we supported 120 families with hampers.

“We are part of the community but I think they have been fed with the wrong information.”

VCC’s other manager Abdi Hasan Mohammed shared the same sentiments emphasising that they work with the community for the benefit of the community.

VCC employs about 27 SA citizens at the store, he added.

However, the national coordinator of Operation Dudula criticised VCC for not employing South Africans in management positions as it is not a scares skill.

He said they many qualified people in the community who can manage the shop.

Deputy secretary Peter Rapodile told Kathorus MAIL that the store has been reopened, but they are communicating with other stakeholders including the SAPS and Home Affairs.