A group of angry residents from Lotus Gardens in Pretoria West took matters into their own hands when they raided a local spaza shop.
The incident was triggered by the emergence of an audio recording in which a woman claimed that a customer had been sold a suspiciously red Coca-Cola beverage.
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The unidentified woman, who is affiliated with the Lotus Atteridgeville Saulsville Civic Association, explained in the recording that a parent had sent their child to buy a Coca-Cola beverage from the spaza shop.
To their surprise, the drink turned out to be a red-colored mixed drink. The concerned parent returned the drink to the shop, but instead of exchanging it, the shop owner offered a replacement. Unsatisfied with this response, the woman contacted the community, leading to the raid on the shop.
Video footage of the incident shows confiscated food products being thrown outside the shop, with the owner standing in the background.
During the raid, community members discovered expired foodstuffs that were still being sold. Some residents expressed their frustration, stating that the responsibility lies with the shop owner to ensure that products have clear sell-by dates.
Tshepo Mahlangu, the leader of the association, emphasised that residents demanded that the shop be shut down until visits from by-law enforcement and health officials could take place.
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He also mentioned the possibility of conducting raids on other spaza shops operated by undocumented foreigners but stressed the importance of following proper processes to avoid incidents of looting by opportunistic criminals.
Mahlangu criticized the City of Tshwane for not assisting the community affected by the sale of expired foodstuffs in spaza shops. He referenced a recent ANC election campaign in Soweto, where President Cyril Ramaphosa interacted with a foreign national who owned a spaza shop.
Mahlangu believed that this support from political figures was contributing to the problem caused by undocumented foreign nationals.
The incident in Lotus Gardens highlights the importance of proper regulation and oversight in the operation of spaza shops to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.
