On Friday, 15 November 2024, the President, Cyril Ramaphosa, addressed the nation on the deaths of children due to food-borne illnesses.
As a precaution, the President has indicated that all spaza shops and other food handling facilities must be registered within the municipalities in which they operate within 21 days (by 6 December 2024).
Any shop that is not registered within 21 days and does not meet all health standards and requirements will be closed.
Government officials will be doing inspections at all spaza shops.
Here are a few key things spaza shop owners can do in preparation for registration:
- Ensure that you have the correct documentation.
- Ensure to familiarise yourself with all non-household use pesticides as any business found with banned pesticides like Terbufos, Galephirim, and Aldicarb will be closed.
- Only store and sell legal pesticides in their original containers and that are clearly labelled for household use.
- All household chemicals that may be sold and stocked in store, must be kept out of reach of children and away from food.
- Do not store or sell fake and/or expired foodstuffs.
- Only purchase stock from suppliers with verified safety certification.
- Ensure that the premises adhere to health and safety standards.
- The problem of rat and pests infestation is due in part to poor waste management in several municipalities, who have been instructed to collect rubbish and clean streets more regularly.
Here are safe ways to keep a clean store:
- Use water and soap, like sunlight liquid, baking soda, vinegar, bleach, or salt water to help break down pesticides which may have contaminated different parts of your shop and stock.
- Ensure that the area around you is always kept clean. Add a bin outside your shop for people to throw away rubbish.
- Make use of strong rat traps instead of poison.
We will continue to update this page on how to register and we will assist where we can to ensure your business complies with government regulation.
