Mothotlung Blitz Operations: Checking Spaza shops’ complaince

MOTHOTLUNG – On Thursday, 26 October 2023, Madibeng Local Municipality in collaboration with the South African Police Service, Madibeng Fire Services, Home Affairs and Bojanala Platinum District Municipality’s Department of Environmental Health embarked on a blitz operation to check and enforce compliance at local wholesale and spaza shops in Mothotlung.

This was in response to multiple complaints to the Office of the Executive Mayor in Madibeng from the communities of Makau and Mothotlung about local shops selling unhealthy and expired foodstuffs to residents.

The Blitz Operation on Thursday set out to establish whether the wholesale and spaza shops in Mothotlung were compliant with regards to:

1. Business licences
2. Certificates for perishable foods
3. Documentation for foreign nationals
4. Building regulations
5. Fire safety
6. Illicit trade

The businesses were found to be non-compliant in a number of areas, and were served with notices and fines according to the requirements of the regulations and law. Should these businesses fail to correct the identified issues in the stipulated period, further action will be taken against them.

Some of the contraventions by the businesses included the sale of illicit goods, such as prohibited skinlightening creams which contain substances such as mercury, which can pose a serious health hazard. Expired and damaged goods were also found on the shelves. All these were confiscated and destroyed.

The buildings also had exposed electrical cables and there was no emergency equipment in case of a fire. Many of the businesses had LPG gas cylinders stocked inside the buildings illegally, and all the businesses had sleeping quarters within the buildings designated for business, which is strictly prohibited.

Some of the employees who are foreign nationals also failed to produce the documents required for a legal stay in the country. They were apprehended by immigration officers from Home Affairs.

The Blitz Operation will continue in response to this concern in other parts of Madibeng. Businesses must comply for the sake of the wellness of consumers and employees. Consumers are implored to shop responsibly by checking the expiration dates on goods and reporting bad practice by businesses.

Community members are also reminded that this operation is in service of their best interest. Unfortunately, during the Operation, community members assisted the shop owners by hiding illicit and expired goods in their homes when the business owners were tipped off that the operation was heading their way. The team found empty shelves in some shops, and on further investigation, discovered that the stock had been moved to a nearby house.

Anyone found to be complicit in such action is in fact defeating the ends of justice and may be charged. MMC Motladi Modipane, who is Acting MMC for the Department of Tourism, Agriculture and Economic Development at Madibeng Local Municipality lauded the efforts of the Blitz Operation team, saying: “I applaud the LED Department, the MEC of Economic Development, Public Safety and Health for a successful intervention.

We must continue to embark on this programme to save the lives of our communities. And we will make sure to bring to book all foreigners without legitimate documents.”