Non-compliance leads to closure of spaza shops

Three spaza shops in Mtwalume were shut down due to non-compliance recently.

These shops were busted during an inspection led by the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Consumer Protector, Ugu District Municipality, Umzumbe Municipality and KZN Community Centre Prevention Association.

Explaining the inspection, Ryan Moodley of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), said they were checking and monitoring compliance.

He said they found certain unfair business practices taking place, such as labelling issues, repackaged goods and expired items in some of the shops.

“My colleagues from the business licensing department will check the validity of the owners’ claims that they did apply for a business license and that it is with the municipality,” he said.

He added that these inspections aim to check compliance with legislation and to enforce the law in order to ensure a safer marketplace for consumers, particularly vulnerable people who are reliant on these shops as their ultimate food supply.

Moodley said business inspections were conducted throughout the province. “Mtwalume was a focal area following certain allegations of non-compliance that were reported to the authorities,” he said.

“In the last few months we had certain incidents where children have been affected by buying food that has been alleged to be unsafe for consumption,” he said.

Dr Bongekile Sithole of the KZN Community Centre Prevention Association said it was worrying to find that foreigners were still sleeping inside the shops.

She said meeting was called recently in Ward 10 under Sibanini, where all foreigners who own spaza shops in the area were invited.

“In that meeting, we told them not to sleep in the shops and to check expiry dates on items at least once a month. It disheartens us to find that in one of the shops, there is a toilet not too far from the goods being sold. In some of these shops, there is no ventilation. We had hoped that they would make efforts to comply as children have fallen sick after eating items allegedly bought in their shops,” she said.

Meanwhile, Induna Bhekani Mngoma said that the Mathulini Tribal Authority was worried about foreign-owned spaza shops that refuse to comply.

“We found expired cool drinks, biscuits and other items. We support any closure of a business that is non-compliant, as our community is being harmed because of this,” he said.

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