​By Koketso Maraba
 
The surge in food poisoning cases has led to calls for for integrated efforts to educate business owners about handling, preparing and storing of food to reduce the risk of consumers becoming sick from food borne diseases. 
On Thursday, 12 September 2024, the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) joined the MEC for Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED), Lebogang Maile during the Qondis' ishishini lakho (Fix Your Business) campaign in Ekurhuleni to empower township businesses about the benefits of business formalisation such as greater opportunities for funding, credit lending and greater market access. 
Kgothatso Seshoka, the owner of Chilli The Bite who was informed of opportunities to formalise their business and funding opportunities offered by the GDED, including prioritising food safety said  that he learned the importance of packaging his food items including sauces correctly.
"Moving forward I will ensure that the shelf life of the product is visible on the label to ensure that my customers know that the food items I am selling them is not expired. I will also be mindful of where I place the pesticides and other products that are labelled with a hazardous sign to avoid contamination of the food items I sell," said Seshoka. 
The GDoH has conducted food awareness campaigns in informal settlements and hostels, and schools across Ekurhuleni including Marikana Informal Settlement, Ekuthuleni Informal Settlement, Vosloorus Lesedi Taxi Rand, Mvelaphanda Primary School and Tlamatlama primary school. Communities of Tshwane in the Ga-Rankuwa area have also been reached recently. These community engagements allow the Department to directly reach shop owners and learners about the importance of hand hygiene, proper food handling and preparation, water hygiene, clean environments, and sanitation to create more awareness around food safety.
Gugu Dladla from Kusile Bhekilanga Farm explained that she was also happy to receive information related to labelling her products and sees this as a step towards reaching the desired level of compliance as a business. 
In a statement released earlier this month, the MEC for Health and Wellness,  Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said that Environmental Health teams will be working with local municipalities to continue to conduct inspections in communities and encouraging small business operators in TISH communities to apply for compliance certificates and to ensure that they have proper zoning certificates.
From February 2024 to date, the Gauteng Department of Health has reported 207 cases of foodborne illness, including 10 deaths. 
The department continues to call for greater vigilance from both the business owners and consumers to ensure greater compliance with environmental health requirements for handling of perishable and non-perishable food items.