School vendors are taken by surprise by a call from the Gauteng Department of Education to stop selling food to pupils. Photo by Nhlanhla Khomola
THE Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has called on vendors operating on school premises to obtain valid Certificates of Acceptability (CoAs).
This is to ensure the safety of pupils who buy from the vendors.
This comes after school vendors were banned from selling to pupils, following a rapid rise in foodborne illnesses affecting pupils countrywide.
Department spokesman, Steve Mabona, said this is in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address on Friday, 8 November, where he stressed that compliance requirements must be adhered to by all vendors, tuck shops, and traders to regulate food sales on school premises and ensure food is free from harmful substances and properly handled and stored to prevent contamination or spoilage.
To ensure pupils’ safety and health in Gauteng schools, specific compliance requirements have been introduced to regulate food sales on school premises.
All tuck shops, traders, and vendors must comply with legal requirements, by-laws, and food management regulations in order to operate in schools.
Mabona said unregistered sellers must register with relevant authorities within 21 days, effective from Friday, 15 November 2024.
“Vendors operating on school premises are required to obtain a CoA, as per the Food Stuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act and the General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, Transport of Food, and Related Matters (Regulations No. 638 of 22 June 2018).
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“Districts and schools must ensure all food vendors in the school premises are in possession of a verified CoA. CoAs must be verified and can be confirmed by an Environmental Health Practitioner at your respective municipal office,” Mabona said.
Tuck shops, vendors, and traders may proceed to operate on school premises only if they comply with these requirements, as per the regulations, or upon completing necessary verification and compliance.
The department reminded School Governing Bodies and School Management Teams of their responsibility to ensure food vendors comply with all guidelines and regulations, including verifying that food items are sourced from reputable suppliers and don’t contain harmful substances.
Districts and schools are also required to implement specific measures, including submitting daily reports on food-related incidents using a standardised template, sharing food safety tips and awareness materials to prevent foodborne illnesses, and following the National School Nutrition Programme guidelines.
Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, urged parents and communities to work together to ensure compliance with these measures and maintain a safe learning environment for all.
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