Community Safety Forum operation led by MMC Community Services and Safety, Cllr. Seipati Modise, has launched a ground-breaking local business compliance inspection at Extension 6, yesterday.
The initiative was in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs, District Municipality’s Health Services Department, SAPS, Fire and Rescue and Traffic Division.
The primary purpose of small businesses audit was to enforce compliance with health and safety standards and minimise health and safety hazards by prohibiting the sale of expired food products. It was also verifying immigration and trade licence documentation.
During this operation, law enforcement officials arrested seven illegal immigrants and two business owners were issued with R3 000 fine for not complying with health and safety standards.
The arrested illegal immigrant were six Mozambican men and one Zimbabwean woman. These illegal immigrants were discovered to be residing and working in the country illegally.
The fined businesses were also issued with compliance notifications and given 14 days to comply with set health and safety standards and regulations.
MMC Modise said the operation was a proactive measure to address numerous compliance concerns raised by the community.
“We want to sent a clear message to business owners that flouting health and safety regulations and thereby risking the health of their customers will not go unpunished,” she said
In another case, a supply of maize snacks was determined to be non-compliant and was swiftly returned to the supplier. Authorities are diligently following up with an inspection at the wholesalers’ premises to safeguard consumer interests.
Local businesses will be subjected to thorough checks as part of this audit to detect the existence of expired food products on their shelves.
The operation is expected to become a regular activity in the future, guaranteeing continual monitoring of conformity to food safety rules. These acts reflect the municipality’s dedication to upholding the community’s health and safety standards.