Civil groups, political parties & some Delft residents want spaza shops suspected of selling contaminated food closed

CAPE TOWN - Civil organisations, political parties and some Delft residents are calling for the closure of spaza shops suspected of selling contaminated food.

A sizeable crowd took their grievances to the Delft Civic Centre, where they handed over a memorandum to city health officials, ward councillors and the police.

The demonstration comes after an illegal sausage-making place was raided in nearby Mfuleni township this week.

It's alleged that bone meal, which is used in pet food, was being used to manufacture the sausage.

The protesters have accused the Government of National Unity of folding arms while people are dying of food poisoning.

In October, six children died in Soweto, apparently after eating snacks that were contaminated with an agricultural pest control product.

MK Party's Western Cape executive Committee member, Shakila Rahman, said government must take responsibility for this.

"We demand compensation from the Government of National Unity for all our people who have died of food poisoning, from spaza, retail, wholesale and manufacturing businesses."

They're also calling for more stringent measures to be put in place around food safety.