On Tuesday, 19 November 2024, the Director of South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre, Dr Bongani Elias Sithole, declared foodborne illnesses a national disaster. Published under the National Gazettes, No. 51624. This announcement follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s order to immediately close all the spaza shops implicated in foodborne illness cases.
Given the magnitude of the situation and the negative consequences of poor food safety practices in the country and across the informal Spaza shop sector, which have led to numerous deaths and illnesses. This classification aligns with Section 26 of the National Disaster Act of 2002.
View Government Gazette No 51624 HERE
In addition to the classification, Dr Sithole has also called for active participation and engagement by all organs of the state to strengthen their support of their current structures further to deal with the crisis the country is facing effectively. As per Sections 20(2) and 22(a) of the Act, communities, individuals and private companies are also urged to improve their food safety practices by following food safety legislation, standards, and procedures.
This call, in line with Sections 25(1)(c), 39(2)(k), 53(1)(c) and 53(2)(k) of the Act, and other applicable legislation, recommends that the National Government, the Provincial Executives and the respective Municipal Councils, implement a multisectoral relief and rehabilitation plan to deal with the effects of these foodborne illnesses; and also in line with section 21(a)(ii), requires that each government department prepare and submit progress reports, in line with the requirements of the National Disaster Management Centre, to monitor the response initiatives by organs of state, non-governmental organisations and communities.
Furthermore, the centre expects affected municipalities and government departments to prepare and submit reports on this matter as mandated by Sub-Sections 4 and 8 of Section 24 of the act.
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Key facts
- South Africa declared foodborne illnesses a national disaster on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, gazetted under Government Gazette No. 51624 and Section 26 of the Disaster Management Act of 2002.
- The declaration was signed by Dr Bongani Elias Sithole, Director of the National Disaster Management Centre.
- It followed numerous deaths and illnesses, with the informal spaza shop sector particularly affected, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to order the closure of implicated spaza shops.
- The declaration requires active participation by all organs of state and a multisectoral relief and rehabilitation plan, with progress reports from affected departments and municipalities.
- It calls on communities, individuals, and companies to improve food safety by following food safety legislation, standards, and procedures.
- ASC Food Safety Consultants offers training and consulting to help spaza shops, vendors, and businesses implement compliant hygiene and food safety programs.
Frequently asked questions
When were foodborne illnesses declared a national disaster in South Africa?
Foodborne illnesses were declared a national disaster in South Africa on Tuesday, 19 November 2024. The declaration was published in Government Gazette No. 51624 under Section 26 of the Disaster Management Act of 2002. It was signed by Dr Bongani Elias Sithole, Director of the National Disaster Management Centre.
Why was a national disaster declared over foodborne illnesses?
The declaration followed numerous deaths and illnesses linked to foodborne illness outbreaks in South Africa. The informal spaza shop sector was particularly affected, which prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to order the immediate closure of all spaza shops implicated in the cases. The scale of the situation warranted a national disaster designation.
What does the national disaster declaration require the government and public to do?
The declaration calls for active participation and engagement by all organs of the state and the implementation of a multisectoral relief and rehabilitation plan to address the effects of foodborne illness. Government departments, affected municipalities, and departments must prepare and submit progress reports. Communities, individuals, and companies are urged to improve their food safety practices by following food safety legislation, standards, and procedures.
How does the declaration affect spaza shops in South Africa?
The spaza shop sector was specifically highlighted as being affected by the foodborne illness outbreak. President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the immediate closure of all spaza shops implicated in foodborne illness cases. Spaza shop owners are expected to align with food safety legislation, standards, and procedures going forward.
How can spaza shops and food businesses improve food safety compliance?
According to ASC Food Safety Consultants, businesses can improve compliance by implementing proper hygiene and food safety programs and by following food safety legislation, standards, and procedures. ASC offers training programs for spaza shops, vendors, and informal traders, as well as consulting services to help implement these programs. This supports the declaration's call for communities and companies to strengthen their food safety practices.