Minister of small business development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams emphasised the necessity of collaboration among various government departments to raise awareness about food safety standards.
“I think it is important that we try to raise that caution to say we should really think about the actions that we are taking, not that we are not aware that people must make profit, but there’s lives that we must always consider because it may not be your child. It may not be you today, but it can be your grandchild,” she said.
During a recent media briefing at OR Tambo International Airport, alongside health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and police minister Senzo Mchunu, Ndabeni-Abrahams highlighted the role of spaza shops in the broader food supply chain.
“Spaza shops source food from distributors and food manufacturers. They don’t produce the food,” she said, underscoring the need for vigilance regarding the products sold in such establishments.
The briefing followed the deaths of six children in Naledi, Soweto, where traces of a harmful insecticide were discovered in food samples. The incident has raised urgent questions about the safety of food supplied to spaza shops, which are a common source of snacks for schoolchildren.
Ndabeni-Abrahams articulated the government’s approach, saying, “We have set up the Township Economy Task Force made up of food manufacturers themselves. All of us must play our part.”
The task force aims to ensure that food suppliers meet safety standards, thus protecting consumers and the communities they serve.
The minister mentioned the government’s commitment to working with various departments to enforce regulations.
“It is different when they are found to have a product that they have bought and in their space, which requires raising awareness on the things that they can buy and those that they can’t buy, those that they have to buy and require certain compliance measures have to be compliant and This is why we are working with the different departments and the municipalities, including the National Consumer Commission,” she said.
Ndabeni-Abrahams said the government’s efforts to enhance food safety are not a reaction to recent events but part of a broader strategy initiated in October last year.
“They’ve had their different meetings. They are finalising certain things because these matters are legislated,” she said.
The minister said collaboration extends to community level, with initiatives aimed at helping spaza shop owners register their businesses.
“It is important that they be registered so that we know in a particular street there are so many spaza shops and who’s running them,” she stated.
Additionally, the government is bolstering municipal capacities by sponsoring unemployed graduates to help with local inspections and compliance efforts.
“We’re working with the ward councillors, including the wholesale and retail Seta, which has just sponsored the appointment of 200 unemployed graduates to complement the existing personnel at the lock level because we are appreciative of the challenges that the municipalities face as they are supposed to be doing this work,” said Ndabeni-Abrahams.
Emphasising community involvement, she urged citizens to be proactive in raising concerns about unsafe practices in their neighbourhoods.
“We’ve called upon all those who are involved in terms of our constituency to say they must exercise caution,” she said.
TimesLIVE
Modiegi Mashamaite
www.timeslive.co.za
