Tuck shops at Gauteng schools must register within 21 days
The Gauteng Department of Education has called on vendors to register their businesses within 21 days.
This comes after President Ramaphosa said last week that all spaza shops and school vendors should be registered with municipalities following an outbreak of suspected food poisoning in schools.
The president warned that spaza shops that fail to register will be shut down following a spate of foodborne illnesses in the province.
The department's spokesperson, Steve Mabona, said vendors operating on school premises will be required to obtain a valid Certificate of Acceptability.
"Vendors operating on school premises are required to obtain a valid Certificate of Acceptability, as per the Food Stuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act and the General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, Transport of Food, and Related Matters.
"Districts and schools must ensure that all food vendors within the school premises are in possession of a verified CoA. They must be verified and can be confirmed by environmental health practitioners.
"School governing bodies and school management teams are reminded of their responsibility to ensure food vendors comply with all guidelines and regulations, including verifying that food items are sourced from reputable suppliers and do not contain harmful substances."
The death toll from suspected food poisonings stands at around 22, with about 900 incidents recorded.
The government's response to the outbreak includes removing hazardous pesticides from the street and providing guidelines for schools on how to handle pesticides and detergents.
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