Cedarville community issues ultimatum to foreign owned spaza shops over alleged food safety violations
The Cedarville community under Matatiele Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, supported by the Black Youth Forum of South Africa, has given foreign nationals operating Spaza shops in the town an ultimatum to close their businesses by November 30. The move follows accusations that the shop owners, primarily from Pakistan and Ethiopia, have been selling substandard and potentially unsafe food products.
On Saturday, community members, accompanied by youth leaders, went from shop to shop handing out written notices demanding the closure of the businesses. Senzo Khalakho, a spokesperson for the Black Youth Forum, confirmed that about 15 notices had been issued to the foreign shop owners.
Khalakho explained that the community’s actions were motivated by numerous complaints from residents about the quality of food being sold in the Spaza shops. “They are selling rotten food to our people,” Khalakho said. “This shows they don’t respect us, so they must leave.”
The community’s frustrations were intensified by a recent incident on Friday, when it was discovered that some Spaza shop owners were attempting to wash and return contaminated food items to the shelves. Reports indicate that the items, including chicken livers, meat, and fruit, had been damaged after a delivery truck overturned near Kokstad, spilling its contents. Instead of discarding the goods, the owners allegedly cleaned the items and planned to sell them.
In response, the Cedarville community decided they had had enough, and that the foreign shop owners should vacate the town. When asked if there were plans to replace the Spaza shops should they close, Khalakho revealed that local residents are being prepared to take over the businesses. “We are holding a big meeting this week to map out a plan to support those who will take over the running of the Spaza shops,” he said.
The situation in Cedarville highlights ongoing tensions between local communities and foreign business owners in some parts of South Africa, particularly over issues of food safety and local economic empowerment.
