Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, has called for the closure of all foreign-owned tuckshops and the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals in response to an increase in incidences in which students died or became ill after eating poisonous snacks purchased from these spaza shops.
Recent events, such as the death of six learners in Naledi, Soweto, due to tainted snacks, have raised concerns about food safety.
In a separate incident in Sharpville, Bronkhorstspruit, six youngsters were taken to the hospital after eating reportedly expired snacks from a nearby spaza business.
In addition, 47 students from Ralepogo Primary School in New Eersterust, Pretoria, were discharged from hospitals after being treated for suspected food poisoning. Over 70 Grade 12 students from other schools in West Rand also required medical attention for identical symptoms.
In Limpopo, 35 students from Makahlule Primary School in Malamulele received treatment for food-related ailments.
Following the occurrences that raised concerns about food safety and spaza shop compliance, McKenzie took to X (previously known as Twitter) and stated that foreign-owned tuckshops must be closed down immediately.
McKenzie, the Patriotic Alliance’s (PA) leader, is well-known for his tough stance on unauthorized immigrant nationals and calls for their deportation.
We need to close all these shops, we can’t be debating this matter anymore, this shops should be closed and owners arrested to be deported. What more do we want to see? More children dying ?
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) October 20, 2024
“We need to close all these shops, we can’t be debating this matter anymore, these shops should be closed and owners arrested to be deported. What more do we want to see? More children dying? he questioned.
Many of his fans and followers came to his support, saying that it has to be been done urgently, while others expressed scepticism.
In another tweet, McKenzie emphasised the need for urgent government action, saying that South Africans have been exercising maximum restraint.
South Africans has been exercising maximum restraint & discipline. We are now burying our kids weekly. We as government should act and act fast before people wrongfully take law into own hands. What do we owe these illegal foreigners ? Let them go.
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) October 20, 2024
“We are now burying our kids weekly. We as a government should act and act fast before people wrongfully take law into their own hands. What do we owe these illegal foreigners? Let them go.”
McKenzie expressed his commitment to advocating for mass deportation of undocumented foreigners.
I will never stop fighting for mass deportation. I have been bringing this matter up using channels afforded to me as Minister. I must respect the Minister of Home Affairs and give him space to do his job. We will never abandon this fight Patriots.
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) October 20, 2024
“I have been bringing this matter up using channels afforded to me as a minister. I must respect the Minister of Home Affairs and give him space to do his job. We will never abandon this fight Patriots,” he wrote in another post.
In addition, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party chief whip, Mzwanele Manyi also took to X to express concern about foreign-owned spaza shops across the country.
“The issue of spaza shops owned by foreigners is worse than outdated products because they have their own fake stamps to give ‘life’ to expired food stuff. The issue is fake and expired products packaged in reputable brands.”
Manyi called for the shutdown of all spaza shops to tackle what he described as a criminal syndicate.
