GQEBERHA – Five spaza shops in Motherwell were closed down during a joint operation conducted by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Public Health Directorate and multiple enforcement agencies on Thursday 14 August.
The coordinated raid, involving 12 different departments and agencies, uncovered widespread unlawful practices including the sale of counterfeit goods, illegal electricity connections and improper storage of large sums of cash.
Authorities seized R100,000 in cash that was being kept on-site instead of in banking facilities, along with various illegal products including pig food sold in plastic bags, unregistered creams, illegal pills and expired stock.
The operation team comprised representatives from Environmental Health, EDTA, Electricity & Energy, Budget & Treasury, SAPS, Human Settlements, NRCS, the Chief Operating Officer’s office, Consumer Protection, SAPHRA, Solid Waste Management and Immigration Services.
During the raids, officials also discovered illegal electricity connections and illegal dumping within some of the targeted premises.
Six undocumented immigrants were detained for living and working in South Africa without proper legal documentation.
The municipality said the operation reflects its commitment to enforcing municipal bylaws and protecting public health by removing hazardous products from circulation and addressing safety risks in the community.
In a statement, the municipality urged spaza shop owners to comply with all regulations and sell only safe, quality products whilst operating within the law.
“Together we can build a safer, healthier and compliant metro,” the statement read.
The crackdown comes as part of ongoing efforts to regulate informal trading establishments and ensure consumer safety across Nelson Mandela Bay.
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