JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — In response to a revealing Public Protector report exposing severe lapses in Gauteng food safety enforcement, provincial spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga has detailed the systemic challenges and corrective interventions currently underway. The findings highlight a critical convergence of municipal budget cuts, a drastic shortage of health inspectors, and widespread regulatory non-compliance spanning both informal spaza shops and public school kitchens across the province.
According to Mhlanga, the root of the enforcement collapse lies in severe financial constraints at both the metropolitan and local municipality levels. Consequently, the province’s health practitioner capacity is currently functioning at just over 30%. This deficit of human resources has created a governance vacuum: while businesses may successfully navigate the initial licensing process, there is virtually no ongoing monitoring of their food storage or hygiene practices. Mhlanga noted that the Public Protector’s analysis was highly valuable, as it broke down the exact population-to-professional ratios required to meet World Health Organization standards, providing a clear benchmark for recovery.
A major advantage of the recent report, Mhlanga emphasized, is the clarity it brings to accountability. By identifying approximately 13 distinct role players and explicitly defining their mandates, the document provides a roadmap for interdepartmental collaboration. He stressed the urgent need to engage the provincial treasury to resolve this life-threatening capacity gap, drawing a parallel to other state departments that are actively expanding their workforce. For instance, the Department of Home Affairs is increasing its personnel to manage immigration challenges, and the Department of Labour is currently recruiting 10,000 new inspectors.
Data cited during the briefing underscores a stark compliance deficit within the informal retail sector. Of the estimated 12,000 spaza shops operating in Gauteng, approximately 7,000 are run by foreign nationals, the vast majority of whom lack the legal permits required to do business. Overall compliance in this sector currently hovers at a mere 5%.
To address this, the Department of Small Business is managing an ongoing, open-ended registration process. Crucially, government funding designed to support South African spaza shop owners is strictly tied to this official database. However, authorities have uncovered a trend of “fronting,” wherein local citizens apply for licenses on behalf of undocumented foreign nationals. Mhlanga confirmed that these fraudulent applications have been handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for criminal investigation and prosecution.
Despite these hurdles, Mhlanga pointed to aggressive bylaw enforcement led by metros like the City of Johannesburg. Mayors are actively directing efforts to monitor, clamp down on, and shut down non-compliant establishments in both central business districts and townships. He also observed a positive shift, noting that more South Africans are recognizing the opportunity to legally enter and formalize their presence in this retail space.
Beyond informal trade, the Public Protector’s investigation flagged over 600 public schools for lacking adequate and safe kitchen infrastructure. Mhlanga assured the public that remedial actions are actively being deployed. Newly constructed schools are being equipped with compliant kitchen facilities, and the government is actively partnering with the private sector to upgrade infrastructure in existing, under-resourced schools.
He emphasized that the National School Nutrition Program remains a highly sensitive and protected priority. Rigorous food handling protocols and mandatory training for food preparers have been strictly enforced, which is why food poisoning incidents in schools remain exceptionally rare.
Addressing the paradox of financial underspending during a documented food safety crisis, Mhlanga pointed to bureaucratic bottlenecks in procurement processes. The provincial government is now aggressively prioritizing the resolution of these delays to ensure allocated infrastructure funds are actually deployed. The Member of the Executive Council (MEC) is currently traveling across the province, engaging directly with communities to address overcrowding and facility deficits. Mhlanga concluded that underspending on critical infrastructure is unacceptable, and the province remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the health and nutrition of millions of learners.