By: JN Reporter
Ngwathe Local Municipality has intensified its crackdown on illegal tuck shops operating across its towns, warning that unregistered businesses flouting health, safety and zoning regulations will face immediate closure.
The operation, carried out in partnership with law enforcement and health inspectors, aims to root out non-compliant traders, protect consumers from unsafe food handling practices and restore order in residential areas increasingly affected by unregulated informal trading.
Accompanied by Municipal Manager Dr Futhuli Patrick Mothamaha and MMC for Public Safety and Transport Noma Moloi, Executive Mayor Victoria De Beer-Mthombeni this week led a multi-agency operation to shut down unlicensed tuck shops and non-compliant businesses in Mokwallo, Vredefort. The operation was conducted in partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Employment and Labour, the Department of Home Affairs, the Regional Disaster Management team and the Local Economic Development Office.
The mayor said the ongoing operations form part of the municipality’s commitment to restoring ororderprotecting infrastructure, and enforcing compliance to create safer and fair economic conditions for all residents. She raised serious concerns about widespread illegal electricity consumption, particularly among some foreign-owned shops. According to the municipality, several businesses reflected questionable purchasing histories on municipal records, while some operators were allegedly in possession of documents that do not permit them to run businesses.
“The municipality is suffering significant revenue losses, including damage to electricity infrastructure as a result of overloading. Ngwathe currently owes Eskom approximately R2.8 billion, a situation largely attributed to electricity losses arising from illegal connections, tampering with infrastructure and non-compliance with municipal bylaws. These operations are critical in addressing revenue leakages, stabilising the municipality’s financial position and ensuring a sustainable electricity supply to our communities,” she said.
In Parys, an unlicensed scrap yard was closed after suspected stolen municipal infrastructure, including copper and steel, was recovered.
Authorities also uncovered widespread electrici ty meter tampering, with many establishments failing to pay for municipal services. The municipality further revealed that some businesses previously shut down had illegally resumed operations.
The municipality said the crackdown will continue as part of efforts to restore order, protect public infrastructure and ensure compliance across all towns under its jurisdiction.
