By BAKANG MOKOTO
18 November 2024- Only two out of 34 tuckshops that were inspected at the Frances Baard District are compliant. This comes after the Northern Cape PROVJOINTS under the leadership of the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, together with MECs, the Frances Baard District mayor and local mayors of Dikgatlong, Phokwane, Magareng Municipalities and inter-governmental teams, embarked on the food safety campaign on 18 November 2024.
Otola said the focus was on compliance inspections to tuckshops/spaza shops to address illicit and contaminated foodstuff sold by tuck shops and non-compliance. She further said multi-sectoral teams were deployed under the leadership of the Northern Cape MEC for COGHSTA, Transport, Safety and Liaison, Bentley Vass, local mayors in Barkley West, Delportshoop, Warrenton, Hartswater and Ritchie.
“Only two tuckshops were found compliant and 32 were closed down due to non-compliance, including operating without valid licences. Large volumes of expired, damaged and rotten meat and food items were confiscated during the visits.
“Seven undocumented foreign nationals were arrested and detained for processing by the Department of Home Affairs and three fines were issued,” she said.
Otola further said an urgent plea is made to communities to allow the inter-governmental teams to conduct their inspections in order to ensure that all compliance is adhered to. She added that collaborative efforts will continue to ensure that fraudulent and fake food and beverages are removed from shelves and offered for sale to communities.
“Contaminated food products can pose serious health risks to consumers and can have deadly consequences. Hence, these operations will be conducted in all five districts within the Northern Cape province to clamp down on illicit trade in food and food fraud,” said Otola.
The Guardian 