Eight spaza shops in north-western KwaZulu-Natal have been shut down following violations of health and business regulations. Police and municipal officials from Alfred Duma Local Municipality and uThukela District conducted inspections in the Indaka area, uncovering serious breaches.
Authorities found that some shop owners were operating without the necessary permits, while others were preparing food in unsanitary conditions, such as in toilets, or selling expired goods. Alfred Duma Municipality’s Zama Sibisi described the conditions at the shops as "appalling."
"In some of the shops, shopkeepers were sleeping inside, selling products, and doing everything in the same space, which is completely unacceptable," Sibisi said.
During the inspections, officials also discovered seven undocumented foreign nationals working at the shops. Some of these individuals fled the scene, raising concerns about the number of undocumented migrants in the area. Authorities have vowed to continue cracking down on illegal and unsanitary business practices.