The listeriosis outbreak which claimed the lives of 193 people six years ago, while tragic, was an opportunity for the government to take immediate steps to prevent such occurrences. It has failed dismally to do so.

That severe foodborne disease said to have been allegedly caused by processed meat from Tiger Brands raised questions about the government’s role or lack thereof in enforcing regulations including conducting frequent inspections where food is concerned.

In 2024, our news pages are filled with stories of children dying after consuming snacks bought from local spaza shops. Many more are being admitted to hospitals with suspected food poisoning. In one incident in Soweto, it has been confirmed that the children died from consuming snacks containing a banned pesticide.

The immediate question is how did that deadly pesticide find its way into the shop? Were our officials once again caught napping?

The latest incidents confirm that not much has changed since the listeriosis outbreak.

That is why the gazetting of the Standard Draft By-Law for Township Economies by Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa at the weekend should be welcomed with caution.

Its critics have correctly pointed out that it’s a reactionary move aimed at masking the state’s monumental failures. The officials entrusted with the responsibility of protecting citizens, especially vulnerable children, will find it hard to dispute that.

The draft by-law aims to ensure background checks are done on spaza shop owners, including citizenship status, and business licences cancelled in cases where they have transgressed.

The proposed legislation regulates designated business areas, registration and permitting of business activities, hygiene and waste removal, as well as prohibitions and restrictions.

These are indeed necessary measures, but they, like many other pieces of legislation before it, will become meaningless if implementation remains foreign to the government.

At stake here are the lives of our children. A nation that cannot protect its children has a bleak future.

Cape Times