The Democratic Alliance (DA) is asking MEC Faith Mazibuko from the Gauteng Department of Community Safety to check all spaza shops in the province regularly to ensure they follow health and safety rules.
They want action taken against shops that don’t follow the rules and the MEC to work with local governments to do these checks.
This request comes after a sad event at Mandlethu Primary School in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni, where a grade 1 student died after eating biscuits bought from a nearby spaza shop.
It’s not acceptable that towns and the Gauteng Provincial Government haven’t made sure that all businesses, including spaza shops, follow safety rules, leading to the loss of another life.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) wants MEC Mazibuko to work with local governments to check all spaza shops in the province. They should check if the shops follow health and safety rules if they’re legally allowed to operate, and if the items they sell are still safe to use.
Additionally, the Democratic Alliance insists that those who knowingly break food safety laws and put our children at risk should face serious punishment from the police.
“We also urge communities and parents to protect their kids by telling the police about any suspicious things or products sold by spaza shops. We can’t stop illegal spaza shops from selling unlicensed food without everyone working together.” – DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Education.
