‘Stop the rot at shops’
Residents bemoan expired and spoilt food as owners complain about load-shedding, unplanned power cuts
Expired canned foods line the shelves while vegetables and meat have started to rot in the malfunctioning fridges at many spaza shops across Nelson Mandela Bay.
In addition, the floors are dirty, flies swarm over the food and there is a foul odour in the air.
But for many residents in the townships or outlying areas, there is little choice but to rely on these corner shops for groceries.
Scores of residents who spoke to The Herald this week said they were spending their hard-earned cash on the questionable food sold at some spaza shops.
And often they ended up discarding the items.
But spaza shop owners, trying to make a living, also find themselves in a predicament, and have argued that the situation is beyond their control as load-shedding and unplanned power cuts cause their freezers to malfunction.
Earlier this week, a Herald team visited up to 10 spaza shops across the metro.
In some, meat that had not yet reached its expiration date was being stored in fridges that were not working properly.
Additionally, rotten vegetables were observed alongside the dirty refrigerators.
The situation was documented in photographs.
At Al Ansaar Corner Cash Store in Sydenham, situated close to a high school, the owner, who did not want to be named, said the police had carried out an inspection last week.
He claimed the police had primarily warned him against selling cigarettes to schoolchildren, but he admitted to selling expired food at times.
“Sometimes it’s a mistake. Other times I have overlooked a date or I just wasn’t aware,” he said.
“I do my best to check the expiration dates but occasionally the items turn out to be expired.
“When I discover that they’re expired, I put them at the back of the shop.”
Cans of food with a best before date of September 2023 were, however, still on the shelf this week.
“I must be more careful. When a product has passed its expiry date I offer customers a refund and apologise,” the man said.
Sidwell resident Ryan Boggenpoel said he had previously bought food for his daughter from Al Ansaar Corner Cash Store.
However, on one occasion what should have been a sealed packet of chips had holes in it and the chips were stale, he said.
“I am a very concerned father and this should never have happened,” he said.
“We no longer buy from that shop.”
Another resident, Mary
Langford, said she had a list of unpleasant experiences with spaza shops but the worst was when she bought chicken necks, only to discover when she got home that they were green and had a foul smell.
“I now only buy cigarettes from them. The rest I get at [supermarkets].”
A 53-year-old mother residing in Sydenham, along with her three daughters and three grandchildren, expressed concern about shops allegedly selling rotten food.
She strongly advocated for the closure of these shops, which she believed potentially endangered lives.
She highlighted the tragic deaths of three minors in Wells Estate in 2022, expressing fear that something similar could happen to her own children.
In November 2022, siblings Olwam Ngwendu, 7, and Athenkosi, six months old, as well as their cousin Sinothando, 11, started having convulsions and later died after eating noodles allegedly bought at a spaza shop in New Brighton.
“We could easily buy a can of baked beans that is expired.
“We could also die,” Langford said.
“The government should not just fine them they should close them down because they will do it again.
“This makes me angry and afraid.”
Taxi driver Zanabo Bonani of Wells Estate said he was worried about the schoolchildren he transported as they would often buy items from a nearby spaza shop.
He said he had recently bought stale bread from a corner shop in Korsten and returned it.
“They lower the prices of expired foods so people can purchase them at their own discretion despite the risks involved,” he said.
“They simply sell these goods to clear out their inventory to make room for new stock. These shops should be inspected by the police and fined for endangering lives.”
Durban Road in Korsten is known for its spaza shops.
One shop, despite having no expired items, was infested with flies.
The freezers were seemingly not working, causing frozen goods to thaw.
The owner, who did not want to be named, attributed the issues to load-shedding and unplanned power cuts.
“I blame the government’s failure to address the problem, particularly the impact on our refrigeration systems,” he said.
“I will take action and restock the fridges.”
At another nearby shop, also without a name on the front, the fridges were rusted.
Inside were rotten lettuce and bags of spoilt carrots. There was also a foul smell. The owner was not present. Meanwhile, Monré Cloete, who operates Monré’s Spaza Shop in Helenvale, said he only sold fresh items.
He said the problem many spaza shops faced was with their suppliers.
Cloete said he bought goods in bulk but often discovered rotten items and expired food which he then had to discard.
“It is a huge financial burden because we need to throw the food away,” he said.
“We try very hard to serve our customers quality food.”
Jonas Petros, who runs Lucky Shop in Cilliers Street, Motherwell, said the police had recently visited three spaza shops in the area, including his.
According to Petros, none of the shops was found to be selling expired food.
“I do not buy in bulk. I buy loose products,” he said.
While he denied the reporters access to his shop, he brought out rice, baked beans and milk to demonstrate that none of them had expired.
Siphiwo Tebeka, who lives opposite Petros’s shop, said he had never heard of any issues with the items he sold.
Somalian Community chair Ismail Ali condemned the selling of expired food and called for spaza shop owners found to be transgressing to be fined and closed down.
Ali said many of their members owned spaza shops in the townships and they conducted regular routine visits.
“We throw away food that is expired and when it is about a month from the expiration date we tell them to sell it for cheaper.
“We also don’t stock many dairy products and juices because they expire too quickly.
“We have three WhatsApp groups with over 3,000 members where we share educational information. I have a family and kids, and I check the expiry date when I buy from the bigger retailers.”
He said though loadshedding was problematic, many shops in Korsten had generators.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said inspections were done at spaza shops from time to time.
“This is to ensure fake/counterfeit goods as well as expired stock are not on the shelves,” Naidu said.
“Operations are also planned with various role players like the municipality’s environmental health department and the health department.
“Expired stock poses a serious health risk to citizens and frequent inspections ensure compliance.”
Bay safety and security boss Stag Mitchell said the metro police also inspected spaza shops and would increase their routine inspections.
“We are playing more of a supportive role when it comes to removing old perishables from the shelves of spaza shops, working closely with our public health directorate and other authorities,” he said.
“It’s no secret that some spaza shops are selling these items, so more needs to be done to address the issue effectively.
“A meeting will be held to discuss the matter at hand, but it’s unacceptable.”