Operation Fiela Food Blitz was carried out in Isipingo yesterday (Thursday, 15 November) as the city’s environmental health unit issued several fines and confiscated banned, expired and fake goods.
The inter-departmental blitz was carried out in conjunction with other stakeholders namely Metro Police, KwaZulu-Natal Liquor Authority, building inspectorate, fire and emergency services, community health facilitators, Durban Solid Waste, South African Police Service, land use management, South Area Based Management office, Home Affairs (immigration), the specialised urban regeneration team, security management and business licensing teams.
Divided into 12 teams, each group targeted a specific high-risk area in Isipingo, led by a manager from the environmental health unit. Each team also had three environmental health practitioners.
Similar blitzes were held in the Pinetown and Durban central business districts.
The Isipingo blitz resulted in the following health-related offences noted:
• 75 inspections conducted,
• 24 premises were found to be satisfactory,
• 51 premises were found to be unsatisfactory,
• 19 premises with Certificates of Acceptability,
• 22 premises issued with prosecution notices with fines amounting to R52,000,
• 65 health awareness programmes were conducted,
• 299 people were reached,
• 106kg of food, namely cheese and polony, were confiscated,
• 68 illegal cosmetic beauty products (banned skin lightening cream) were seized.
Other departments, who were part of the blitz, achieved the following:
• The fire department inspected six premises, with four notices served. One is pending closure.
• The electricity department inspected 35 meters with two illegal services removed. There are five pending disconnections. Furthermore, five ínstructions to remove/repair notices were served for non-compliance,
• Home Affairs officials inspected 21 documents, resulting in five arrests,
• The Liquor Board had one prosecution which will result in a court appearance and,
• SAPS had one prosecution of R1,500.
Co-ordinator of the blitz and manager in the environmental health unit Santosh Hansraj said the Environmental Health Services is legislatively mandated to conduct compliance monitoring and enforcement relating to food safety and related matters.
He said the department conducts routine inspections of all formal and informal food premises such as supermarkets, convenience stores, coffee shops, bakeries, retail meat markets, food processing plants, food warehouses, restaurants, take-aways, taverns and informal food traders.
“Foodborne illnesses can be caused by improper food handling practises, inadequate temperature control, poor food storage practises, improper cleaning of equipment and utensils including food labelling and expired foods. The health unit inspections aim to protect public health by working to minimise adverse impacts on human health. This is accomplished through health inspections, health education and enforcement,” he said.
Hansraj said food premises inspections are conducted up to four times a year, depending on the risk level and complexity of the premises.
He said Operation Fiela was a result of a national directive of the national Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi, to conduct food blitzes related to concerns of food safety. Hansraj said: “All areas targeted in the blitz are covered by routine work carried out by the Environmental Health Department.” Challenges in the Isipingo CBD include a high volume of businesses trading within a small area, non-compliance with basic health requirements and the high unemployment rate resulting in people selling food as a source of income without understanding food safety compliance.
