Mafia-style criminal syndicates are increasingly using spaza shops to peddle illicit products into the lucrative township economy.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has raised concern over gangs allegedly using spaza shops as a front for criminal activities.
Addressing MPs during a briefing to parliament’s portfolio committee on police in May, Mkhwanazi said law enforcement had identified a pattern of gang activity linked to some spaza shops.
“We have seen a lot of these gangs operating within spaza shops. The reality is it’s not because they are making money out of the spaza shops; it’s another method of justifying the means to get away with other illicit activities,” he said.
Following Mkhwanazi’s claims, Michael Ramothopo, Deputy President of the South African Spaza and Tuck Shop Association (SASTA), agreed that it is a growing concern.
Speaking in an interview with 702, Ramothopo said the association has seen mounting complaints from communities about counterfeit and duplicated products being sold through informal retail channels.
He said the association established a national hotline after the deaths of children in Soweto last year to better understand complaints from the public.
“A lot of calls came in flooding, talking about all these complaints of duplicate products, looking the same as FMC products that we know and love,” he said.
According to Ramothopo, there are growing concerns that counterfeit goods are being manufactured in hidden facilities before entering township retail networks.
“It seems as if there’s some manufacturing hub that is happening in these buildings that are closed down,” he said.
He warned that illicit trade is damaging legitimate businesses and the wider economy. “It’s a huge concern,” he said.
“Associations, government and the private sector must work together and find an amicable solution on how we are going to actually protect our businesses.”
Ramothopo added that counterfeit and illicit trade operations have a broader economic impact on the country.
“We can be able to understand this illicit problem that we have in the country that is actually destroying jobs, loss of taxes, and so much more,” he said.
Active enforcement needed
Ramothopo stressed that consumer protection depends heavily on regular inspections by authorities. “Consumers have to always be protected by regular inspections. Regular inspections are very critical to people not losing their lives,” he said.
He said enforcement agencies and municipalities must play a more active role. “The consumer protection is left with the National Consumer Commission and the municipalities that must be able to actually enforce these laws,” he said.
He warned that a lack of inspections and penalties has created an environment where illegal activity can flourish.
An example of this is the recent seizure of chemicals and counterfeit household cleaning products from an illegal detergent manufacturing site in Boksburg.
The seizure was conducted by South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks.
The Hawks found a makeshift manufacturing facility in Windmill Park informal settlement, where cleaning detergents were being produced and repackaged into what is assumed to be recycled containers of well-known cleaning brands.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said that when members arrived at the premises, they found large quantities of chemicals and finished products.
These chemicals and finished products included thick bleach, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid, foam bath, and ammonia-based cream cleaner.
“It is alleged that the chemicals are mixed in 200-litre barrels and subsequently repackaged into recycled containers bearing labels of well-known brands manufactured by Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive,” Mogale said.
“Chemicals recovered at the scene included caustic soda, kulubrite, soda ash light, sodium hypochlorite and sodium chloride, which are commonly used in the production of detergents and soaps.”
In addition, the police seized containers that had not yet been cleaned and reused for repackaging purposes.
Forensic analysis will be conducted on the seized products to establish their composition and verify whether they contravene the law and are confirmed to be counterfeit.
