Durban — After reports of children falling ill after consuming contaminated food, the Ulundi Local Municipality, in Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal closed down shops suspected of selling harmful food on Tuesday.
The municipal raids, aimed at protecting public health, shut down shops suspected of selling contaminated food. The raids follow alarming cases of sick children in local schools, allegedly tied to specific food products suspected of being tainted.
On Tuesday, a collaborative raid involving the municipality, Environmental Health in Zululand, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) targeted three local shops: Royal Supermarket, the Family Store, and Kings Supermarket.
The focus of this operation was the seizure of Ayoba Biscuits — the very products allegedly consumed by students from Ezitendi in Zimfabe, resulting in the hospitalization for some affected youngsters.
Recently, IOL News reported that the alarming trend of food poisoning incidents affecting schoolchildren has now shifted its focus from Gauteng to KZN, as 43 pupils from Ngaqa Primary School in Mtubatuba had been hospitalised following the consumption of potentially contaminated snacks.
On Monday, the Ndlovu family from the Cabhane village in uMzumbe on the KZN South Coast mourned the loss of three children who died after experiencing symptoms associated with food poisoning.
The Business Compliance Inspection that was conducted by the Compliance Units, Ulundi Municipality LED Compliancy and Facilities Unit, SAPS and Zululand District Municipal Health Service, resulted in a temporary suspension of business licenses and notices of temporary closure of Kings Supermarket.
Ulundi Municipality Mayor Wilson Ntshangase acknowledged the hard work of various agencies. Ntshangase said that the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in South Africa Velenkosini Hlabisa will sign the law to review the operation of supermarkets and spaza shops at home in the way they work and to ensure hygiene in the food sold to people.
Ntshangase said the raids are just the beginning and the shops implicated in these health hazards will face closure imminently.
The municipality stated that a thorough inspection of all food products sold by them will be conducted, with the full cooperation of multiple security services ensuring complete compliance with health and safety standards.
Municipal Manager Sandile Khomo emphasised the legal backbone of these actions with the approval of the Business Act (Act 71 of 1991) and Business Licensing and Administration By-Laws.
“We need the economy of Ondini (Ulundi) to grow and be sustainable, but not when it takes the lives of our people. We will continue these inspections in all stores,” Khomo said.
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