ActionSA Requests National Consumer Commission Probe into Deliberate Offloading of Expired Goods in the Township Economy
Press Statement by Lerato Ngobeni MP
ActionSA Parliamentary Chief Whip
ActionSA has written to the National Consumer Commission (NCC) requesting an investigation into whether corporate conglomerates are exploiting the township economy by offloading expired or nearly expired goods, thereby endangering public health and safety in South Africa’s vulnerable communities.
In recent weeks, the dire state of health and safety in spaza shops has come under sharp scrutiny, with tragic incidents of children losing their lives and many others being hospitalised after consuming contaminated, expired or counterfeit food products. Recent raids conducted across wholesalers have further exposed a troubling supply chain crisis, from expired food items to unsafe hygiene products.
It is our view that this crisis may highlight a broader concern that South Africa’s township economy could be targeted as a dumping ground for expired or nearly expired goods by corporate conglomerates. As such, we have written to the National Consumer Commission, through the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) as the custodian of the Consumer Protection Act, requesting an investigation into this matter.
As we struggle to come to terms with the tragic and entirely preventable deaths of children, we contend that every effort must be made to ensure the township economy’s entire value chain meets stringent health and safety standards, where our most vulnerable communities are shielded from exposure to compromised goods that endanger lives. Importantly, as we work towards the complete localisation of the township economy, it is equally vital to safeguard the value chain from exploitation by predatory companies seeking to profit at the expense of these communities.
To that end, we have continuously made clear the urgent need for decisive action to protect those who rely on the informal sector for their daily sustenance, a fight we are determined to take on to ensure that the government duly enforces existing laws and regulations to prevent any further senseless loss of innocent lives.
ActionSA Requests National Consumer Commission Probe into Deliberate Offloading of Expired Goods in the Township Economy
ActionSA has written to the National Consumer Commission (NCC) requesting an investigation into whether corporate conglomerates are exploiting the township economy by offloading expired or nearly expired goods, thereby endangering public health and safety in South Africa’s vulnerable communities.
In recent weeks, the dire state of health and safety in spaza shops has come under sharp scrutiny, with tragic incidents of children losing their lives and many others being hospitalised after consuming contaminated, expired or counterfeit food products. Recent raids conducted across wholesalers have further exposed a troubling supply chain crisis, from expired food items to unsafe hygiene products.
It is our view that this crisis may highlight a broader concern that South Africa’s township economy could be targeted as a dumping ground for expired or nearly expired goods by corporate conglomerates. As such, we have written to the National Consumer Commission, through the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) as the custodian of the Consumer Protection Act, requesting an investigation into this matter.
As we struggle to come to terms with the tragic and entirely preventable deaths of children, we contend that every effort must be made to ensure the township economy’s entire value chain meets stringent health and safety standards, where our most vulnerable communities are shielded from exposure to compromised goods that endanger lives. Importantly, as we work towards the complete localisation of the township economy, it is equally vital to safeguard the value chain from exploitation by predatory companies seeking to profit at the expense of these communities.
To that end, we have continuously made clear the urgent need for decisive action to protect those who rely on the informal sector for their daily sustenance, a fight we are determined to take on to ensure that the government duly enforces existing laws and regulations to prevent any further senseless loss of innocent lives.