The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued Compliance Notices to various Western Cape suppliers found to have contravened section 24 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA).
The NCC issued 14 Compliance Notices; twelve of these suppliers were based in the Western Cape, and one each in KwaZulu-Natal and in Gauteng.
In the Western Cape, the NCC said inspections were conducted in Cape Town where 40 suppliers were inspected. Of these, 12 were issued with Compliance Notices and 23 are being investigated further.
The NCC said they had found inconsistencies with labelling requirements where suppliers did not properly label the goods or affix ingredients on the packaging.
These suppliers included Fairfield Meat Express; Dadas Nutritious Foods and Spices; Bag It; Planet Sweets; Beadica 381 (Pty) Ltd trading as Fish for Africa; Die Visfabriek; Bismila Grand Parade Halaal; Amigos Fisheries; and Super Spar Cape Gate.
Other contraventions included Athena Fast Foods failing to display the prices of goods on the shelves, and Country Glam for the delivery of unsafe vegetables to the consumer.
Supplier Bernice Warwick and Co had contravened the Act after it was found that the supplier installed untreated firewood that posed a risk to the consumer.
Ishtiyaaq Sonday from Fairfield Meat Express in Ottery said the NCC visited their store on October 24, and that they have since complied with the requests of the NCC.
“We immediately then corrected all the incorrect labelling and added ingredients on the product where it was needed.”
Sonday said no deadline or penalty was given to rectify the issues related to labelling.
The NCC said it was also finalising investigations in Limpopo, Gauteng, Northern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.
NCC’s Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu said: “From the concluded investigations, the NCC found that consumers continue to be exposed to unsafe foodstuffs and most suppliers do not comply with the provisions of the CPA. The NCC continues to prioritise cases of expired and unsafe foodstuffs.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za