Cape Town, Dec 6 (NationPress) South Africa's Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for proactive citizen participation in safeguarding food safety and strongly urged the public to report any dubious food-handling activities to the relevant authorities.

This appeal was made during an oral question-and-answer session at the National Assembly of Parliament in Cape Town, the legislative hub of the country, against a backdrop of increasing alarm regarding contaminated food associated with recent student fatalities nationwide, as reported by Xinhua.

"As a government, we unequivocally condemn the negligent actions that have resulted in the loss of lives due to food contamination incidents, predominantly impacting children in recent weeks," Mashatile stated while addressing a question about these incidents.

He outlined critical government initiatives, including requiring all spaza shops and food-handling establishments to register with municipalities within a 21-day timeframe to ensure compliance with legal standards.

Mashatile stressed that this initiative aims to enforce compliance with regulations while also uplifting township economies by integrating these enterprises into the larger economic landscape. "We must not only establish a legal framework but also offer substantial support," he asserted.

To enhance this initiative, Mashatile mentioned that the Department of Small Business Development has implemented measures to assist small businesses in adhering to health and safety protocols. Furthermore, a joint fund of 500 million rand (approximately $27.7 million) has been created to aid South African-owned businesses in townships and rural regions, provided they fulfill compliance criteria.

"Additionally, we are addressing food-borne incidents and unregistered spaza shops through the National Joint Operations and Intelligence Structure, which is a comprehensive multi-sectoral intervention strategy," he remarked.

Meanwhile, the Deputy President highlighted the significance of public engagement and urged citizens to report any suspicious food-handling practices to local authorities, especially concerning unregistered spaza shops or the sale of counterfeit or expired products.

"Crucially, we implore local communities to report suspicious activities and raise awareness among Environmental Health Officers within their municipalities," Mashatile stated. "I urge communities to avoid illegal registration of spaza shops."

"We all bear the responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities, particularly our children," he concluded.