‘All spazas must close until they are registered’

Casket bearing the body of 5-year-old Siyabonga Mnisi who died from suspected food poisoning after allegedly buying snacks from a spaza shop in Diepkloof, Soweto.

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International Relations Minister, Ronald Lamola has called on South Africans to allow authorities to deal with the issue of foreign-owned spaza shops.

Owners of food outlets, including spaza shops, have been given until the 13th of next month to register their businesses with municipalities or face closure.

At least 20 children have died of suspected food poisoning, while hundreds others were admitted to hospital.

Lamola addressed members of the diplomatic corps in Hazyview, Mpumalanga yesterday.

“That should be left to law enforcement; obviously communities have a role to play … but allow law enforcement agencies to do their job as they are already doing it by inspecting, by ensuring the food that is there in the shelfs is not expired…”

Meanwhile, anti-illegal immigration group, Operation Dudula says it is heading to court to compel government to shut down all spaza shops until they are registered.

Five-year-old Siyabonga Mnisi from Diepkloof in Soweto is being buried today. He died on Wednesday from suspected food poisoning after consuming snacks allegedly brought from a local spaza shop.

Operation Dudula president Zandile Dabula says they are engaging their lawyers because they cannot standby as children continue to die.

“We will be instructing them by Monday to take it to the court. Because this 21 days…by the time we get to 21 day it means we would have lost more than 50 children because in just a space of five days we have lost more than five children.”