The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decisive steps to address the food safety crisis.
After the tragic deaths of at least 22 children, he has ordered the closure of spaza shops linked to the deaths and set a 21-day deadline for all food handling facilities to register with municipalities.
However, the foundation is concerned about the growing debate surrounding the nationality of spaza shop owners. Focusing on nationality is not the solution.
The focus should be on ensuring that all food vendors adhere to the same safety standards and be accountable for meeting food safety laws.
The foundation also highlights the shortage of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) as a critical challenge to enforcement. With only 1 712 EHPs in the country – far short of the 6203 needed – many communities, particularly in densely populated areas, remain vulnerable to unsafe food practices.
The president’s plan to conduct door-to-door inspections and launch public education campaigns is crucial to addressing the issues.
Ismail Joosub, the manager of constitutional advancement at the foundation, said that while the inspections were important, municipalities must be properly equipped to carry them out.
He said we needed to be cautious not to allow the issue to fuel xenophobia – food safety concerns must focus on regulations, not nationality.
The FW de Klerk Foundation calls for a united effort to strengthen food safety and protect the health of all South Africans.
* Christo van der Rheede, Executive Director of the FW de Klerk Foundation.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media
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