Charl Cilliers, Mpumalanga – A 30-year-old farmer from Charl Cilliers, formerly Van Tondershoek, near Standerton, has been arrested in a shocking case of alleged food safety violations. The farmer is accused of repackaging and selling rotten and expired food to unsuspecting retailers, potentially endangering the health of countless consumers.
The arrest followed a raid on the farm on Wednesday, February 5th, conducted by multiple law enforcement units after a concerned whistleblower exposed the illegal operation. Provincial Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Magonseni Nkosi confirmed the details of the raid.
"The Hawks Secunda-based serious organised crime investigation and Charl Cilliers police operationalised information received from a reliable source about a farmer who allegedly repacked expired and rotten food for delivery to different retailers destined for human consumption," Lieutenant-Colonel Nkosi stated.
According to Lieutenant-Colonel Nkosi, the farmer allegedly deceived chain stores by claiming that the expired food was intended for livestock. "According to allegations, the 30-year-old farmer collects expired food from chain stores and other distributors under the auspices of feeding such food to his domestic animals," he explained.
The reality uncovered by the joint operation was far more disturbing. "When the team comprising the Hawks and Govan Mbeki local municipality health inspectors visited the farm, they were shocked when two warehouses were found packed with food not fit for human consumption," Lieutenant-Colonel Nkosi said.
Inside the warehouses, law enforcement officials discovered a horrifying scene. Four cold rooms were filled with expired canned goods, rotten red meat, and chicken. "A total of seven freezers were found in the warehouses with repackaged wheat, flour, and maize meal," Lieutenant-Colonel Nkosi added.
The scale of the operation was staggering. Authorities also found "About 1 000 crates were found fully loaded with expired dairy products, including cheese products."
In addition to the vast quantities of rotten food, investigators discovered a truck fitted with a cold room, two light delivery vehicles, one loaded with meat, and an empty light delivery vehicle. Lieutenant-Colonel Nkosi said investigators will scrutinise the vehicles for further evidence.
The farmer also possessed equipment used for vacuuming, scales, and plastic sealers, along with stickers and pricing machines, allegedly used for repackaging expired food.
Hawks provincial head Major-General Nico Gerber condemned the scheme in the strongest terms. "It is a massive blow to the packager, as these products were destined for unsuspecting end users. Food so packaged poses a huge risk to communities," said Gerber.
The Hawks and police have not yet disclosed the specific charges against the farmer or his court appearance date.
This incident is not an isolated one. Three months ago, in November, a joint police operation in Zamdela, Sasolburg, uncovered a similar food safety violation. In that case, seven men were arrested for repackaging expired Lucky Star tinned fish.
According to SAPS provincial spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko, authorities seized a significant quantity of counterfeit canned fish during the raid. "The police also discovered printing equipment which was used to alter expiry dates on the cans of expired fish packaging," Captain Sibeko stated.
The repackaged fish were being placed in boxes marked 'Woolworths Food,' raising concerns about potential brand impersonation and further deception of consumers. The seven arrested individuals in the Zamdela case were all Malawian nationals aged between 18 and 29.
