75-Year-Old Woman And Family Arrested For Pushing Rotten Food To SA Shoppers

A 75-year-old woman has become the latest person arrested in a growing investigation into a family-run operation accused of repackaging expired and rotten food for public consumption in Charl Cilliers, near Secunda.

Hawks Mpumalanga spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi confirmed that Wilhemina Jacoba and Phakamani Hlongwane, 36, handed themselves over to the Secunda-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation team after being linked to three relatives arrested earlier — Pieter Grobler, 31, Mark Lombard, 29, and Sonnet Lombard, 46.

“They were processed and taken to court where they were granted bail,” Nkosi said.

Jacoba and Hlongwane appeared in the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where each was granted R2,500 bail. They are expected back in court on 6 February 2026.

Tip-Off Leads Police to Farm Packed with Rotten Food And 75-year-old Woman’s arrest

Nkosi said the arrests followed a tip-off about illicit activity at a Charl Cilliers farm, where expired and decomposing food was allegedly stored, repackaged, and sold to unsuspecting customers.

During Grobler’s initial arrest, authorities seized multiple items — including vehicles and cool rooms — while contaminated food discovered on-site was destroyed.

All five suspects are facing charges including contravention of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, corruption, fraud, and money laundering.

Mpumalanga Hawks head, Major General Nico Gerber, said investigations remain active.
“We will proceed until all those behind these inhumane activities are brought to book,” he said.

Earlier Arrests Revealed Food Intended for Shops, Not Animals

In February, a farmer in the province was arrested for allegedly repacking expired and rotten food for delivery to different retailers. At the time, the Hawks said the food — initially believed to be for animals — was actually meant for human consumption.

Nkosi explained that investigators acted on information from “a reliable source” about the farmer’s activities. “According to allegations, the 30-year-old farmer collects expired food from chain stores and other distributors under the auspices of feeding such food to his domestic animals,” said Nkosi.

But when the Hawks, accompanied by Gert Sibande District health inspectors, arrived at the farm, the team was stunned. Two warehouses were reportedly “packed with food… not fit for human consumption.”

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