Tshwane’s plan to deal with too few inspectors to monitor food safety compliance at spaza shops

Sarah Mabotsa, MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, outlines plans to address Environmental Health Practitioners shortages in Tshwane.

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%.