16 Apr 2018

Some members of the business community in Mahalapye have been urged to desist from contravening conditions of their trading licenses by failing to label food items while others were caught selling expired products. 

Speaking in an interview following a recent routine inspection in Mahalapye where some general traders were caught in possession of expired food items, the environmental health superintendent for Mahalapye Sub-district, Mr Mopati Tapiso said inspection were conducted to ensure that food and water supplied to people were of the desired quality.

Mr Tapiso revealed that some shops in Mahalapye sold expired food items while others tempered with the expiry date of products. He said all expired products that were seized during the inspection  would  be destroyed. 

Mr Tapiso said a trader who would be found in violation of their trade licenses would face the law. He said a first offender would face a fine of P1 000, adding that for a second subsequent violation such a trader would be fined P5 000 and six months imprisonment. 

Mr Tapiso said in a case where a trader perpetually violated the trade license regulations, the case would be taken before the trade committee and the likelihood  of his/her licence revoked depending on the ruling of the committee.

Mr Tapiso further stated that the environmental health division under council was mandated to inspect and issue trade licences, adding that routine inspections were conducted to ascertain that the standard of health was upheld. He added that selling packaged food items that were not properly labeled was contradiction of the food act. 

He urged traders to properly label their food products. Proper labelling include among others name of the product, list of ingredients, brand name and address.  

Mr Tapiso said in case of food poisoning, it would be able to trace the product and even determine the case of the health problem. 

Mr Tapiso also added that routine inspections were not only focused on those violating the trade regulation, adding that their visits to the traders were also coupled with providing education. 

He called on traders to abide by the law while consumers were also advised to thoroughly inspect food items before taking a decision to purchase and to avoid consuming products likely to affect their health. ENDS