Durban - After receiving thousands of complaints regarding price hiking at various shops during the 21 day lockdown, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Nomusa-Dube Ncube paid a visit to a popular supermarket in Chatsworth on Tuesday afternoon.
Ncube together with other officials paid a surprise visit to Take n Pay Foodtown in Westcliff.
The minister did not mince her words as she entered the supermarket having to ask for hand sanitiser on entering.
Customers said they had to fork out an additional R20-R40 extra per kilogram on meat products.
Picture: Chanelle Lutchman
She told the manager on duty that instead of cleaning the store, employees should be standing at the door ensuring customers received hand sanitisers when entering.
After looking through the various meat products on sale, the Minister said that the price of meat and chicken was "too high."
According to the minister someone had called the complaints hotline and tipped officials off about the price hikes.
MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Nomusa-Dube Ncube looks at the prices of items.
Picture: Chanelle Lutchman
Customers said they had to fork out an additional R20-R40 extra per kilogram on meat products.
Chicken they claimed had increased by R15 a kilogram.
Today the price of meat was between R140 and R160 a kilogram.
When browsing around the shop, the minister noted with dismay the price of Sunlight liquid.
"Sunlight is so pricey. How greedy can people be?, " she asked.
MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Nomusa-Dube Ncube looks at the prices of items.
Picture: Chanelle Lutchman
During the raid a number of shoppers approached the MEC venting their frustration at the high prices.
One customer produced a till slip from last month where they paid R69 a kilogram for mutton sausages, and the price had since increased to R89.
Another said they paid R87 for a bag of Spekko rice which was now selling for R94.99."
The MEC said they would be investigating.