Gauteng's Department of Social Development has condemned the theft and illegal sale of food parcels intended for vulnerable households, after government-issued relief supplies were allegedly discovered being sold at an Ethiopian-owned tuckshop in Magaliesburg.
Gauteng’s Department of Social Development has condemned the theft and illegal sale of food parcels meant for vulnerable households, after government-issued relief supplies were allegedly found being sold at a Magaliesburg tuckshop owned by an Ethiopian national.
The incident, reported on 26 May 2026, has led to arrests and a criminal investigation as authorities work to establish how essential food aid intended for poor families ended up in private hands.
Police responded to reports of community unrest and suspected stolen goods at a tuckshop on Vuyani Street, where residents had gathered outside the premises raising concerns about the sale of government-issued groceries.
Community members alleged that the goods sold to the shop owner were in fact government-issued food parcels meant for distribution to vulnerable households through the Department of Social Development.
