EXPIRED, UNHEALTHY FOODS CONFISCATED IN SHOPS RAID

MBABANE – The Municipal Council of Mbabane destroyed 2 840 kilogrammes of unhealthy food items confiscated from outlets within the city, during an impromptu raid yesterday.

The items were found to be either damaged, expired or had their expiry dates tampered with. The food items were found in 15 shops across three streets in the central business district, during a joint inspection exercise. This exercise is part of the Mbabane Food Safety Awareness Week 2024, which the council is commemorating, to ensure food safety and business compliance in Mbabane. The municipality is committed to preventing harmful practices and making the city a safe and trustworthy environment for consumers.

Inspection

The joint inspection team included representatives from the Eswatini Competition Commission, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Eswatini Dairy Board, Inspectorate Team and the Royal Eswatini Police Service. Prior to this week’s inspections in the central business district, the municipality conducted inspections in grocery stores in townships surrounding Mbabane. The council brigade inspected a total of 15 shops, including seven on Bethusile Street, six on Gwamile Street, and two at the industrial site. During the inspections, some shops were fined amounts ranging from E300 to E1 000.

Stickers

The inspectors discovered various non-compliant food items, such as sweets, chips, prepackaged animal feed and spices. Some of these items were found to have been labelled with custom-made stickers, indicating expiration dates. The inspection team even caught workers at Four Ways Spices in the act of labelling their products with these unauthorised stickers.
The inspections of food items in shops come at a time when South Africa is experiencing a concerning rise in cases of food poisoning and even fatalities linked to the consumption of expired food.

Recent reports from TimesLive revealed that police in KwaZulu-Natal discovered two warehouses in Bluff storing a large quantity of expired food items, including canned fish, fizzy drinks, baby food and spices. In light of these developments, Mbabane Municipal Council Chief Executive Officer Gciniwe Fakudze, emphasised the importance of proactive measures to ensure food safety and public health, especially as the festive season approaches. The municipality has initiated these inspections to maintain high standards of cleanliness and safety within the town. Fakudze stated that the municipality is particularly vigilant when it comes to businesses that sell food in the town.

“We categorise businesses based on the risk they pose to public health,” she explained. “Businesses that produce food consumed daily by emaSwati are categorised as high-risk due to the potential for disease outbreaks and food poisoning.” She further clarified that the municipality’s Public Health Department is empowered by the Ministry of Health to carry out these inspections and ensure compliance with food safety regulations. “It is goverment’s mandate to make sure that emaSwati buy safe food and do not fall sick after eating it,” she said.
Fakudze explained that the municipality is granted specific powers by the Ministry of Health to monitor food items in shops. These powers allow the municipality to enforce food safety regulations and conduct inspections.She noted that many businesses in the town were surprised by the inspections, as the municipality typically conducts routine inspections that often result in the awarding of certificates of excellence to compliant businesses.

Expired

Fakudze highlighted that the discovery of expired food items underscores the importance of ongoing vigilance in ensuring food safety. She emphasised the significance of addressing food safety and health concerns, citing the challenges faced by South Africa in this regard. “We have seen that neglecting these issues can lead to significant damage, not only to the municipality, but to the entire country,” she warned. Fakudze further revealed that a few shops were found to be selling expired food items. Some of these shops had tampered with expiration date labels, while others were selling damaged food items, including dented tinned foods.

Increased

Fakudze acknowledged that there is a need for increased education and awareness among businesses regarding food safety regulations. The municipality disposed of 2 840kg of expired food items, in accordance with legal procedures at the Mpolonjeni Landfill. She further explained that the municipality engages with business owners and can issue contravention notices for non-compliance. Thankfully, no reports of illness or food poisoning have been linked to the confiscated expired and damaged food items. Fakudze urged businesses to remain compliant with laws and regulations, emphasising that the municipality will continue to hold non-compliant businesses accountable. She further stated that the municipality will continue to conduct inspections and provide food safety and health education throughout the Food Safety Awareness Week.

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