Joburg authorities crack down in Alex: Butchery closed for health breaches

A Wynberg butchery has been shut down following a major enforcement operation by the City of Johannesburg after inspectors uncovered serious violations of health, safety and animal welfare regulations.

During a High-Impact Service Delivery programme in Region E on January 14, officials issued a certificate of non-compliance and closure to Alexandra Metro Butchery after an inspection revealed multiple breaches that posed a risk to public health and workplace safety.

City officials said the inspection revealed multiple serious violations. These included breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after fire extinguishers were found not to have been properly serviced, placing both employees and customers at risk.

Food safety regulations were also violated, with expired fish products discovered and seized from the premises. Animal welfare concerns were raised after the SPCA impounded dogs that were being kept on site without identification tags or valid veterinary certificates.

“Due to the severity of these violations, immediate enforcement action was taken to protect public health, workplace safety and animal welfare,” the city said.

This is not the first time the city has carried out large-scale inspections in the area. In November 2025, officials conducted similar operations around the Pan Africa Shopping Centre during the City’s second high-impact service delivery drive.

That operation involved officials from the Department of Environmental Health, the Immigration Unit and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), who inspected shops around the busy Freedom Supermarket section of Pan Africa.

City officials said the operation focused on businesses in high-risk trading areas, inspecting hygiene, product safety, and legal compliance. Environmental health inspectors checked the quality and safety of goods, while the Immigration Unit worked to identify foreign nationals potentially in the country illegally.

Authorities uncovered alarming breaches at a local butchery, where meat was stored in crates on the floor and a toilet was inside the same room used for food preparation. The operation also led to the arrest of a foreign national running an electronics store who failed to provide sufficient documentation, despite claiming to be married to a South African citizen.

“The High-Impact Service Delivery programme will continue across Johannesburg as part of efforts to enforce compliance, protect public health and restore order in the city’s business districts,” the city said.

The Star

masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za