40 raids in 40 days

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The outcry over contaminated and expired snacks and food sold at spaza shops countrywide, is intensifying as more incidents are being reported - also in Graaff-Reinet.

Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, spokes-person for SAPS in the Sarah Baartman district, confirms that they are investigating
how two pills found its way into a packet of chips bought at a spaza shop in Asherville, Graaff-Reinet on Monday 11 November.

Police were called to the scene and A spaza shop in Asherville was raided on Tuesday by law enforcement officers.
the pills were confiscated. No one reported falling sick.

Child hospitalised

This week, Tuesday, 19 November, local PA member, Roland Ludick, posted a video on Facebook alleging that a child fainted
after eating pills in a packet of chips bought at a local spaza shop. He said the child was rushed to the Midland Hospital in Graaff- Reinet. Law enforcement officer Lee Jaftha confirms that a child was hospitalised on Tuesday after allegedly eating spaza shop bought chips, but says the child is recovering well. Graaff-Reinet Advertiser was unsuccessful in getting information
from the Midland Hospital about the child's condition. With some of the confiscated goods are the acting Head of the Fire Depatment Benito Herandien and Senior Law Enforcer Lee Jaftha.

40 raids in 40 days 40 raids to date

Ludick emphasises that he has no intention of politicising the issue, as it affects the entire community. He called on all political parties to join forces with the authorities to ensure compliance with the spaza shop regulations announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last week.

Jaftha says law enforcement has conducted at least 40 raids on shops in the last quarter, the latest of which were under the instruction of the president. He said the raids will be ongoing.

'They do not listen'

Jaftha says law enforcement officers do not take any joy in the situation, but failure to adhere to compliance notices is definitely a problem. “Many shop owners just do not listen.” Jaftha says they found expired and illegal items during every single raid they conducted, including those conducted on Tuesday 19 November.

At a spaza shop in Asherville the Graaff- Reinet Advertiser spoke to law enforcement officers and saw the confiscated goods.
Graaff-Reinet Advertiser was informed that they found illegal cigarettes and several expired food items at the latter.

One of the spaza shop owners at the Tuesday raid asked how he should go about registering his shop within the prescribed
21-day period and was told to visit the town planner at the Robert Sobukwe municipal building.

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A spaza shop in Asherville was raided on Tuesday by law enforcement officers