The streets of Sharpville, in the Vaal, were on Thursday engulfed in chaos following the tragic shooting of a local tuck shop owner that occurred the night before.
In a demonstration of anger and desperation, residents of nearby Boipatong rallied for the return of their local economy, a plea that follows a series of violent incidents targeting foreign-owned spaza shops.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, tensions flared on Tuesday when members of the Sharpeville community began looting shops operated by foreign nationals.
This wave of violence culminated in a catastrophe on Wednesday evening when a local businessman was shot dead while his friend sustained serious injuries.
“The community members looted foreign-owned spaza shops and on 16 October 2024, a local businessman was fatally shot while his employee sustained a gunshot wound. The suspects are unknown at this stage," Nevhuhulwi confirmed.
The situation in Sharpville is part of a broader provincial crisis exacerbated by alarming food safety issues within spaza shops.
Just hours before conflict erupted in Sharpville, chaos reigned in Bronkhorstspruit, where six children were admitted to hospital after consuming allegedly expired snacks from a local spaza shop.
An outraged community member voiced her frustration, stating: “Here in this community, our children became sick and were rushed to hospital all because of these snacks. Therefore, we no longer want the snacks from foreign-owned spaza shops in this area because these snacks have no expiry dates.”
On Thursday, angry community members gathered in an attempt to shut down the shop selling allegedly expired goods.
The poisoning incident has raised significant concerns over the quality of goods sold in these shops.
This crisis has deepened after the recent food poisoning case involving 47 learners from Ralepego Primary School in New Eersterust, Pretoria, who were discharged from various hospitals after being treated for suspected food poisoning.
Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba urged the public to remain vigilant about food safety practices, stressing the importance of proper food handling and the dangers of consuming expired products.
The violence and ensuing community outrage follows a prior visit from the National Consumer Commission (NCC), which had found alarming non-compliance with food regulations among spaza shops in Naledi, Soweto.
“This is very disheartening to find that even in light of the incidents that have happened in Naledi, none of the shops in the area are still compliant,” said Prudence Moilwa, the NCC’s head of complaints and investigations.
There are still many stores selling clearly spoilt food and expired goods.
Following the deaths of six Naledi children and the events in Fochville last week, which resulted in the treatment of 70 matric learners for food poisoning and the treatment of 35 learners from Makahlule Primary School in Malamulele, Limpopo, for food-related illnesses, this week’s incidents in Sharpville and Bronkhorstspruit underscore an unsettling pattern of persistent violence driven by grievances over the economy, worries about food safety, and the mounting unease surrounding foreign ownership of local businesses.
The Star
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