The cold room where meat was confiscated from a butchery in Nobengula Road this week
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THE DOORS to a butchery in Nobengula Road in Galeshewe were welded shut by municipal health inspectors this week after it was found to be selling expired and unsafe meat.
The owner of the butchery also sleeps on the premises and residents have reported the pungent smell of “rotting meat” in the area.
Sol Plaatje Municipality spokesperson Thabo Mothibi said inspectors found sheep or cow offal on the premises that had gone off and had a terrible smell.
"The rotting meat was not labelled and no sell-by or expiry dates were displayed on the packaging. The rotten meat was condemned as it was deemed unfit for human consumption. The owner provided slips as proof of purchase from two abattoirs outside Kimberley," said Mothibi.
A butchery in Nobengula Road was welded shut by Sol Plaatje Municipality this week.
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He added that the butchery was shut down for non-compliance and for operating without a Certificate of Acceptability, which is required under food safety regulations governing general hygiene standards for food premises, transportation and related matters.
"Any business that handles food for human consumption is required to hold a valid Certificate of Acceptability (CoA) to operate legally."
Mothibi stated that the butchery would only be issued with a CoA once the business meets hygiene and food safety standards aimed at protecting the public.
"In addition, the person in charge and his employees must undergo mandatory food safety training. The owner is currently allowed to stay at the butchery but is prohibited from selling foodstuffs to the public until he meets all requirements and is issued with a Certificate of Acceptability."
A butchery owner has been permitted to continue sleeping on the premises but may not sell any foodstuffs to the public after the business was closed down by the municipality.
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He indicated that no cases of food poisoning were reported to the municipality.
"The community is assisting in the surveillance efforts, owing to fears that transactions might be literally conducted through the backdoor."
Mothibi was unable to confirm the citizenship status of the butcher.
"We were not accompanied by immigration officials from the Department of Home Affairs or the police when the raid was conducted," he said.