A Spaza shop was shut down in Pretoria north. Many expired products were confiscated from other business outlets during a raid by the metro police in Tshwane this week.
Led by chief of police, Commissioner Yolanda Faro the operation inspected spaza shops as part of an ongoing food safety operation to check if they complied with the law.
MMC for Community Safety, Grandi Theunissen and the MMC for Health, Rina Marx were part of the campaign and they monitored if spaza shops were not selling goods that had passed their sell-by dates.
The metro police confiscated many expired products and issued fines to shop operators for non-compliance with the by-laws.
Expired beef and sausages, including counterfeit cigarettes, were confiscated.
A shop was closed during the operation for non-compliance with the municipal by-laws.
Theunissen said the operation involved waste management and health officials, who also focused on trading licences and counterfeit items.
“Together, we conducted a thorough inspection targeting various establishments to verify compliance with trading licences, identify counterfeit or expired products and tackle the scourge of drug dealing,” he said.
The operation, he said, underscored the metro’s commitment to maintaining law and order as well as safeguarding public health and consumer rights.
“By enforcing regulations governing trading activities and product standards, we aim to protect consumers from potentially harmful or substandard goods. Additionally, cracking down on illegal drug activities is paramount to fostering safer neighbourhoods and combating substance abuse within our communities,” Theunissen said.
He applauded municipal teams for working diligently to assess compliance, address violations and engage with business owners and residents.
“We recognise the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies, health authorities and other relevant stakeholders in promoting a safe and thriving urban environment,” he said.
He encouraged residents to report by-law transgressions to the Tshwane Metro Police Department on 012 358 7095/7096 or at [email protected].
Pretoria News