Health chief out to grease late-night car-boot chefs

Cape Town authorities have put a lid on entrepreneurs cashing in by selling cooked meals from car boots outside popular nightspots, warning that contaminated food could make customers ill.

"We do not want to be the Grinch that steals people's entrepreneurial spirit, but we have a duty to protect the public," said Siyabulela Mamkeli, the mayoral committee member for health, yesterday.

"There are laws around the preparation and transportation of food that City Health has to enforce. We cannot turn a blind eye as that would not be fair to legal traders or the public in the event that someone gets sick.

"Food preparation is difficult enough as it is, but with the summer months upon us, the risk of food spoiling is so much higher," said Mamkeli.

The city said that environmental health watchers have noticed an increase in the number of people selling cooked food from their car boots in the early hours of the morning, particularly around popular nightspots.

"The fact is that such sales are illegal and possibly dangerous to consumers," a city council statement added.

Regulations governing food hygiene require an appropriate and acceptable premises; maintenance of good hygiene practices, including personal hygiene of all food handlers; cold chain maintenance; effective food storage practices; maintenance of food at safe temperatures as prescribed in legislation; safe and hygienic working environments when preparing and serving food; and measures to prevent the contamination of food.

In terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, fines can be issued for transgressions related to the handling and transportation of food, and not having a certificate of acceptability.

The fines range from R1000 to R2000 per individual charge.

"I encourage members of the public who want to sell food to visit their nearest environmental health office to establish what exactly the requirements are so that they do not fall foul of the law.

" We will have to act against anyone who persists with illegal food sales," said Mamkeli.

Food safety complaints can be lodged by calling 0860 103 089.