The Public Protector's investigation into spaza shops revealed severe lapses in food safety and hygiene enforcement across Gauteng.Over 72% of spaza shops failed to comply with regulations, with inspectors finding repackaged, expired, and unlabelled products alongside rodent infestations and toxic rat poison on premises.

Poor coordination between municipal departments and outdated laws like the 1991 Business Act exacerbated systemic failures, while public schools participating in feeding schemes also violated health standards.The report highlighted fraudulent business registrations involving foreigners and called for urgent action to address these issues.These findings underscore critical gaps in regulatory oversight, threatening public health and exposing vulnerabilities in governance.