Durban — A cloud of fear has enveloped foreign nationals owning spaza shops in the uMlazi J section as community tensions escalate following a spate of reported food-borne illnesses.
This was after a group of people went from shop to shop, instructing owners to close amid the spate of allegedly contaminated goods.
During his televised address to the nation on Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa instructed all spaza shops to register on the government’s database within 21 days.
This comes amid the tragic loss of 23 lives – including children – and over 500 more incidents of food-related illnesses suspected to originate from contaminated goods allegedly sold in these informal outlets.
On Saturday, a day after Ramaphosa’s speech, the group from uMlazi allegedly cautioned the foreign nationals owning spaza shops to shut down, or else they would face the wrath of the communities.
Abdul Adame, an Ethiopian shop owner who has operated his spaza shop for a decade, recounted his harrowing experience.
“I quickly shut down because they violently told me to shut down or else they would deal with me,” said Adame.
He added: ”I have been selling here (uMlazi) for the past ten years, and there is not a single person that has fallen ill.”
Adame, who landed in the country in 2010, said he fears for his life after the group allegedly warned it would come back if he opens his spaza shop.
“To be honest, I don’t know what to do. I am scared to open now because they threaten to come back if I open my shop again. I’ve got some goods that are time-bound and will expire if they are kept in store for a long time,” said Adame.
Fear looms large, not just for Adame but also for other shop owners as well. A Zambian spaza shop owner, who chose to remain anonymous, spoke of the chaos that followed the abrupt shutdown of his business.
“It has been hours since I closed, but I am already feeling the pinch. This is sad. It would have been better if such an operation was led by police,” he said.
Both the owners said their shops will remain closed until the situation is back to normal.
“We don’t know how long it will take, but we can’t risk our lives by opening our spaza shops. Some people, who are also foreign nationals, are operating not far from my shop. But, I will not risk my life,” said Adame.
No case was opened.
A community leader, Siyanda Cele, said he was unaware of the alleged group's decision to shut down spaza shops owned by foreigners.
“However, we will also be doing the same as the community. We will be going from shop to shop, checking whether the owners are adhering to the health standards set by the government. We want to be proactive instead of reactive. We are not going to wait until people die before we react. We would rather prevent that reaction,” said Cele.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has pledged to tackle the ownership of spaza shops, specifically targeting those run by illegal foreign nationals.
Amid the spate of alleged food poisoning, Ntuli also called a meeting with municipalities on Friday in Durban to map a forward.
This followed the recent death of children aged two, six and 11 in uMzumbe recently from suspected food poisoning.
ActionSA Party leader Herman Mashaba and KZN provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango have vowed to push for local ownership of spaza shops.
Other political parties have added their voices to the growing chorus for the contentious issue of “food poisoning".
ATM President Vuyo Zungula said, “The African Transformation Movement (ATM) notes with deep pain and concern President Cyril Ramaphosa's address concerning the alarming rise in food-borne diseases that have resulted in the tragic loss of young lives across our nation.”
He added: “This crisis, which has seen at least 22 children perish due to contaminated food, is not merely a public health issue but a symptom of a systemic failure to prioritise the well-being of our citizens.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Lesego Mogotsi of Azapo criticised President Ramaphosa’s address for lacking depth, especially regarding illegal immigration and lawlessness affecting the economy.
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