To protect public health and enforce compliance, the provincial commissioner of the Northern Cape SAPS led an inspection operation targeting illicit food sales at tuck shops across Kimberley on Saturday.
TO PROTECT public health and enforce compliance, the provincial commissioner of the Northern Cape SAPS, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, led an inspection operation targeting illicit food sales at tuck shops across the greater Kimberley area on Saturday.
The operation was conducted under the banner of the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS), chaired by Lieutenant-General Otola, and involved various government and municipal stakeholders, including the MEC for Coghsta and Transport, Safety, and Liaison, Bentley Vass, Sol Plaatje executive mayor Kagisho Sonyoni and members of the executive council.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Mashay Gamieldien reported that the operation commenced on Saturday morning with multi-agency teams comprising officials from the SAPS, the Office of the Premier, the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Environmental Health, Sol Plaatje Municipality, and ward councillors.
High-ranking officials, including Lieutenant-General Otola and MEC Vass, oversaw the compliance inspections, which focused on illicit and expired foodstuffs sold at tuck shops, primarily those owned by foreign nationals in Galeshewe, Kimberley, and Roodepan.
The Frances Baard district commissioner, Major-General Charlotte Makgari, also joined a team in the Kimberley area.
The inspection uncovered alarming findings: of the 33 tuck shops inspected, only seven met compliance standards, while 26 were shut down for various violations, including operating without valid licences, unhygienic conditions, and selling expired or unsafe food.
Authorities confiscated large quantities of hazardous food items, including expired goods, damaged canned food, and rotten vegetables. Nine undocumented individuals were also detained during the operation, one person was arrested for riotous behaviour, and three fines were issued.
Brigadier Gamieldien urged residents of the Northern Cape to exercise caution when purchasing food. “Avoid buying food items that are dented or cracked. Check expiry dates on the package, check the cleanliness of the shops where the items are sold and be attentive to the areas where food is prepared before buying it.”
Gamieldien concluded by saying that similar operations will continue across the Province, targeting expired and contaminated food sales to ensure public safety and compliance.
