Food Safety In Action: SMME’s Showcase their skills in Tsantsabane
Today, the Environmental Health Services Unit of the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality, in partnership with Anglo American Kolomela Mine, the Department of Health Environmental Health Practitioners, the Tsantsabane Local Municipality, and various other stakeholders, hosted a Food Safety Awareness Showcase for SMMEs in the food business sector.
The initiative provided small food business owners with the opportunity to demonstrate their practical cooking and hygiene skills by preparing meals on-site, turning theory into action.
Small food enterprises are the heartbeat of local communities, sustaining livelihoods and contributing meaningfully to local economies. However, many vendors often find it difficult to translate food safety training into daily practice due to challenges such as limited resources, low confidence, and the perceived complexity of compliance requirements.
Through this project, the District Municipality in partnership with Anglo American Kolomela Mine, Department of Health and the Tsantsabane Local Municipality aims to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice by offering a supportive, hands-on platform where learning becomes doing.
The showcase encourages participants to realise that food safety compliance is not out of reach, and that with guidance and mentorship, they can meet and sustain the required health standards under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants (FCD) Act and Regulation R638.
This showcase was more than an event itβs a step toward safer food, empowered entrepreneurs, and healthier communities.