Durban - Operation Fiela has kicked off in the Isipingo area with various teams from the City together with representatives from the departments splitting up to conduct raids at food premises.
Members from the Departments of Health, Fire, Water, Electricity, Environment, Immigration and the liquor board along with others are walking the streets of the CBD.
Their first stop, lead them to a shawarma store in RedBro centre, owned by a Pakistan national who claimed a Chinese man was the owner.
Conditions at the store were not conducive as workers at the back were working without gloves, food - chopped up tomatoes, whole potatoes and chicken especially is left out in the open - and the bathroom and wash basin was deemed unhygienic.
A representative from the immigration unit said he could not make any arrests or issue fines to forgone nationals as they ran away upon seeing the blitz team.
“Most times these stores employ foreigners especially Malawian to prepare the meat. When we entered they saw us and ran away so we cannot issue any fines or make arrests.”
Conditions at some of the eateries in Isipingo. Video: Chanelle Lutchman
A fine contravening five health bylaws to the amount of R5 000 were issued by the team to the store owner.
The Department of Health also issued an Instruction notice to the man to get rid of some of the items he is using as the store as it is not allowed.
A foreign national has also been arrested for not having his immigration papers with him.