Secunda Magistrate’s Court grants bail to man who allegedly resold pig food as fit for human consumption
The court postponed the case to March 27 for further investigation.
Pieter Johannes (JP) Grobler (30), who allegedly resold pig food (expired and rotten food bought under the guise of feed for his pigs) as food fit for human consumption, was released on bail on Thursday.
He was arrested on February 5 on a farm in the Lekwa district, the near Charl Cilliers and spent a night behind bars.
The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit in Secunda received information that Grobler allegedly bought food past its expiry date as feed for his pigs, but then allegedly repackaged it and sold it to people and small businesses.
Ridge Times also has information about a small shop in Trichardt from where these products were sold.
The Hawks and municipal health inspectors visited the farm before arresting Grobler. They found two warehouses with four cold rooms stocked with food, including meat and dairy products. The food was either rotten or had expired.
Grobler is suspected of putting new expiry dates on the food before selling it to shops as far away as Heidelberg and other surrounding towns.
He appeared in the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on February 6, which released him on bail of R8 000 and postponed the case to March 27 for further investigation.
The court also ordered Grobler to report to the Charl Cilliers Police Station every Monday and to give in his passport at the court.
The Mpumalanga provincial head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Nico Gerber, commended the team.
“The postponement will allow our members to thoroughly investigate and identify other people whofell prey to this inhumane practice.”
