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The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries, Mr Makhi Feni, has welcomed the pronouncement from the African National Congress (ANC) that the country’s spaza shops will be reregistered and any that are operating illegally will not be allowed to operate in the country.

“The committee welcomes this commitment and all other processes that are underway to restore order. Our interest is the safety of poor South Africans and their children. The report of poisonous snacks sold to our children have reach crisis point,” Mr Feni said.

He added: “We would like government to ban situations where homes are sub-let to illegal immigrants for purposes of operating spaza shops. Due to the undesirable effects of foreign ownership, like the protection fee and the massive killings over the collection of these monies, should be decisively dealt with.”

On Thursday, the ANC Secretary-General, Mr Fikile Mbalula, announced that work was already underway to reregister spaza shops following the deaths of several young primary school learners and hundreds who have taken ill and nearly died.

Mr Feni said government should ban foreign nationals from operating spaza shops and also maintain an updated register of people who sell at schools. The committee noted the Gauteng Department of Education’s temporary suspension of consumables within and around school premises.

“This intervention was occasioned by foreign nationals who perhaps were thankless to the generosity of South Africans, who were always willing to share their country with the visitors. Now the time and circumstances determine that there be strict enforcement of legislation and policies,” emphasised Mr Feni. He said it would be better if the country did not experience unnecessary deaths of our children.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Education, Science and Creative Industries, Makhi Feni