Maravi

L/stone council closes Shoprite for public health violation

L/stone council closes Shoprite for public health violation
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Thu 08 Mar. 2012, 11:57 CAT

SHOPRITE Checkers Livingstone town centre outlet has been closed by the council for breaching the public health Act Cap 295 section 64 of the Laws of Zambia and the food drug Act Cap 303 section 7 of the Laws of Zambia.

And the Livingstone City Council has also seized mealie-meal, tinned beans and other foodstuffs that had expired and some of the foodstuffs had no labels from the outlet.

Confirming the closure of the outlet by the local authority and the Ministry of Health, council public relations officer Emmanuel Sikanyika said the outlet was conducting business while undergoing massive rehabilitation works.

"Shoprite outlet had been closed for breaching the public health Act Cap 295 section 64 of the Laws of Zambia and the food drug Act Cap 303 section 7 of the Laws of Zambia. The town centre outlet was closed on Tuesday as the council and the Ministry of Health had received complaints from customers on the conduct of the outlet," he said.

Sikanyika said a combined team of health inspectors for the council and from the district medical office during their routine inspection swung into action and closed Shoprite outlet.

"The officers found the drilling, painting and the breaking of the apartment wall…the place was very dusty, the foodstuffs had deposits of cements," he said.

He said the goods that had been seized had also been exposed to dusty emissions of cement and would be destroyed.

Sikanyika said the outlet would remain closed until it adhered to the law of the country and that the council would continue to enforce the public and food drugs act and other by laws that exist.

"We are not going to sit down and see traders or people breaking the law, we want to bring sanity and order in the city in terms of trading," he said.

Sikanyika said the council would double its efforts especially as it steps up its efforts in preparing for the 20th Session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly in 2013, to be co-hosted by Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Labels: LIVINGSTONE, SHOPRITE

posted by MrK @ 6:14 PM