Timeline

August 21

● Videos with the hashtag #fakefood are posted on Twitter that purport to show expired food and food made in stores or homes.

Monday

● The health department says municipal environmental health officials are inspecting spaza shops to check the veracity of the videos.

Tuesday

● City of Johannesburg public safety MMC Michael Sun tweets that metro cops are confiscating expired food from shops in Maraisburg and accuses shopkeepers of “poisoning the community”.

Wednesday

● Shops in Soweto are looted by residents who accuse the owners of selling fake food and help themselves to food, fridges and mattresses. Four people are killed and dozens arrested.

Thursday

● Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina, police, health inspectors and residents raid shops to confiscate suspect products. More than 20 foreign shopowners are arrested for not having the right papers.

Friday

● Members of the South African Spaza & Tuck Shop Association march to Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba’s office to demand he stop foreigners running spaza shops.