Sarah Mabotsa, MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, outlines plans to address Environmental Health Practitioners shortages in Tshwane.
Image: SUPPLIED
Sarah Mabotsa, Tshwane MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, has blamed the previous administration for the shortage of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) charged with enforcing food safety compliance at spaza shops.
Mabotsa said the previous administration's decision under the DA to freeze critical posts hampered enforcement and negatively impacted service delivery.
She was reacting to the Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka's preliminary findings on spaza shops in Gauteng, released on Friday. The findings highlighted that the norm recommends one practitioner for every 10,000 residents, but Gauteng is operating at 30.3% of that capacity with Tshwane at just 21%.
Across Gauteng, municipalities are severely understaffed with Johannesburg operating at 50% of required EHP capacity, Ekurhuleni at 23%, West Rand at 18%, and Sedibeng at just 16%.
The report followed many food poisoning incidents in late 2024, including in Gauteng where at least 23 children died.
It warned that staffing shortages raise serious concerns about the ability to conduct regular, legally required inspections of food handling premises.
Mabotsa said the city had noted and was reviewing the Public Protector’s preliminary findings.
“This data highlights the critical impact that previous administration’s freezes on staffing critical posts have had on service delivery in Tshwane. However, despite the lowest metro staffing ratios in the Gauteng Province, the Tshwane metro is achieving the highest compliance ratio of spaza shops in the province,” she said.
The report, she said, highlights that the critical work of bylaw, health and safety and business compliance enforcement must continue to ensure and enhance compliance of spaza shops and other food handling businesses.
Mabotsa reminded businesses in Tshwane to comply with local by-laws as well as national legislation, including SARS tax compliance.
Gcaleka also noted that forensic investigations by the Department of Small Business Development have uncovered business fronting involving foreigners. The probes found that registration details submitted for some spaza shops did not match the true owners and operators.
Mabotsa said: “Tshwane takes note of the findings of forensic investigations which have uncovered cases of business fronting and requests all business owners to ensure that their registration details match the owners and operators of businesses. Spaza shops and other businesses can apply for their registration using the city’s online portal at: spazashopregister.tshwane.gov.za.”
She said that to support more businesses in becoming compliant, the city has doubled the frequency of free compliance workshops offered to SMMEs and informal businesses.
“The City of Tshwane has also recently approved a new Informal Trading and Township Economy by-law and the implementation plan and registration fees related to this new by-law are in the process of being finalised and rolled out,” she said.
Under the new by-law, spaza shops and many other formerly unrecognised business types will be formally recognised.
To address the crisis, the Gcaleka recommended that Gauteng fill EHP vacancies and strengthen enforcement.
She proposed setting up a technical committee comprising the departments of Small Business Development, Health, and Cooperative Governance.
Other recommendations include giving the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service 120 days to identify businesses and owners evading tax.
Municipal managers must further adhere to directives within 30 and 60 days of receiving the final report.
Municipal managers will have 30 days to audit their EHP capacities and training requirements, and to identify the staff and operational shortcomings of their local economic departments.
According to the report, Gauteng municipal managers have 60 days to put operational plans in place to ramp up inspections and enforcement of food safety, business, trade and licensing laws.