SENSITIVE IMAGES: Illegal Glen Austin abattoir shut down for the second time
Midrand SPCA inspectors, environmental health officials and JMPD closed an illegal poultry slaughter operation after discovering it had resumed despite being shut down weeks earlier.
An illegal abattoir operating in Glen Austin has been shut down for a second time after Midrand SPCA inspectors discovered the operation had resumed despite being ordered to close earlier this year.
The latest enforcement action was carried out on June 25 by the Midrand SPCA, with support from the Environmental Health Department and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), following a follow-up inspection that uncovered the illegal slaughter operation continuing behind closed doors.
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The facility was first shut down in late May after a proactive inspection by the Midrand SPCA revealed what the organisation described as appalling conditions that posed serious risks to both animal welfare and public health.
Midrand SPCA general manager Pam Pretorius said inspectors had initially issued warnings before returning with environmental health officials to close the facility with immediate effect.
“The operation was supplying vendors, providing cooked food to members of the public, and selling processed chickens directly to consumers,” said Pretorius. “It raises an important question: Do you really know where your chickens and eggs come from?”
According to the South African government, operating an unregistered abattoir for commercial purposes contravenes the Meat Safety Act, which requires livestock intended for commercial consumption to be slaughtered at registered and approved facilities that comply with national meat safety standards.
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The legislation aims to protect consumers by regulating meat production and reducing the risk of foodborne diseases while ensuring that animals are handled and slaughtered in accordance with welfare standards.
Despite the earlier closure, SPCA inspectors continued monitoring the property. During a follow-up inspection earlier this month, inspector Jerry Seemise and Pretorius found that although the premises appeared closed from the outside, the illegal operation had resumed.
Recognising the seriousness of the breach, they immediately requested assistance from Environmental Health and JMPD officers. “Together, the authorities took swift action. The illegal operation was stopped, and JMPD removed the equipment being used to operate the facility, preventing it from continuing business as usual,” Pretorius said.
She said the discovery highlights the importance of follow-up inspections. “This is exactly why follow-up inspections are so important. Had our inspectors not returned, this illegal operation may have continued unnoticed.”
Pretorius said enforcing animal welfare legislation also plays a critical role in protecting public health.
“The people are not realising that this can cause disease in the community; we are actually protecting them…”
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