Cape Town - The Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Fawu) has called out health inspectors in Cape Town for neglecting townships, after a meat factory was nabbed for allegedly adding dog food to their sausage.
A tip-off on Wednesday led the City’s Environmental Health Service to a building in Mfuleni, which resulted in the uncovering of the sausage that was processed and packaged in unsanitary conditions.
A video, which went viral, showed dog food allegedly being used to make the sausage.
On the other side of the small room were car parts where cars are fixed.
Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said their crime intelligence busted the unlicensed food manufacturing operation in Mfuleni.
Six people were arrested by law enforcement officers in terms of the Immigration Act, and the Food Act.
“After receiving a tip-off, the authorities launched a joint operation involving SAPS Crime Intelligence, City officials, and City Health staff, along with investigators from the City’s Strategic Information Management Service. Upon inspecting the premises on November 13, they discovered sausage being processed and packaged in unsanitary conditions.
“The facility was processing and packaging sausages in unhygienic conditions, posing a significant health risk to consumers.
“Suspected illegal activity, the owner and four employees are suspected of being in the country illegally.
“The premises was declared a crime scene, and forensics experts are processing the contents and confiscating food samples for further testing,” said Smith.
Police said they would not comment as the City made the arrests.
A resident who asked not to be named, said: “This was a busy shop, we would see a lot of customers. They supplied Somali spaza shops in Mfuleni, Delft and Khayelitsha. We had suspected that there was something wrong with the sausage and when we heard that there was dog food in it, I was completely shocked.”
Fawu provincial secretary, Zolani Mbanjwa, said South Africans are facing a serious challenge.
“We need the government to enforce inspections, especially in our communities because inspections are mostly done in proper shops in city centres but not in townships.
“If there were inspections we would have known about such things.
“What we saw it’s just the tip of the iceberg, there is more that is happening in these shops.
“If we could have a big operation as they did in Gauteng, in restaurants and hotels, there is much that we would find.
“Our government will only take action when scores of people die in the townships because of expired or poisonous foods.
“We could see the dirty water that was added to the sausage, and the machines with grime.”
Mbanjwa said if the foods do not kill people, it may have a long-term effect in the form of diseases.
“Foreigners have decided to go to townships because they know that there is no legislation that is adhered to.
“This has been happening for a long time. We have seen people talk about this on social media but no action has been taken.
“Foreigners found a gap and they took the opportunity.
“The food industry is being affected.
“They produce at a cheaper price and sell at a low price. They are killing the market that is authentic.”
Mayco member for community services and health, Patricia van der Ross, said a fine was issued in terms of health legislation, and the case will be prepared for court in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.
“All businesses are bound by the Health Act and Food Regulations, as well as the Business Act (for the sale of prepared foods/takeaways), zoning scheme, building regulations, fire safety legislation and the Tobacco Control Act.
“The City works to encourage all food premises to keep hygiene and health-related factors top of mind, and to ensure compliance, in the interest of public safety. All food premises must be in possession of a valid Certificate of Acceptability.”
The incident happened just days after a boy fell ill after allegedly eating a mouldy pie from a spaza shop in Kensington.
The Department of Health is also investigating the death of several children who have died after allegedly eating snacks from a spaza shop in Gauteng.
The department said seven children are confirmed dead and post-mortems confirmed that six of those deaths were due to consuming food contaminated with Terbufos, an organophosphate.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation about the food poisoning surge in due course.