By Sakhiwo Tunzi
The NCC has started nationwide inspections to ensure that businesses are complying with the consumer protection act, the Commission has said.
This follows its discovery during inspections of several Limpopo businesses violating the act, including the sale of expired products.
The commission said that several complaints have been made for sometime about the sale of products close to their expiry dates or already expired. The NCC added that suppliers are putting their own interests above the wellbeing of the consumers.
According to the report, not only South African consumers are affected, as people from neighbouring countries who shop in the area have fallen victim to this practice.
Polokwane CBD was inspected along with nearby small towns. During the inspection, the NCC team also found that sales records were not consistent with receipts issued.
On Tuesday, November 2023, a warning was issued to residents of the city of Ekurhuleni to be cautious when buying products at spaza shops. Six children died and several more were hospitalised after consuming products alleged to be expired or counterfeit food.
The NCC has partnered with the Environmental health practitioners and they'll be using their own by-laws to remove all unsafe products, the Commission said.
NCC spokesperson Phetho Ntaba said, ”When you look at the goods in the market or on the shelves, they have passed their best-before date or their sell-by date or all the date markings.
”When you look at the best-before date, it was sometime in January 2023 0r December 2022, at some point, these date markings were interfere with.”
Consumers can lay complaints with the NCC by calling 012 428 7590.
IOL