Farmer accused of selling rotten food sparks anger

 

South Africans have reacted with disgust and concern after a 30-year-old Mpumalanga farmer was arrested for allegedly selling repackaged expired and rotten food.

According to information provided by authorities, Pieter Grobler was nabbed after receiving a tip-off that the products were repacked for delivery to different retailers destined for human consumption.

Reports suggest that the young farmer would collect expired food from chain stores and other distributors, saying he was going to use it to feed his domestic animals.

During the police raid to his alleged properties, police discovered two warehouses packed to capacity with expired food products.

The food items found in four cold rooms include expired canned food, rotten red meat, chicken meat, as well as about 1 000 crates fully loaded with expired dairy products, including cheese.

Seven freezers were found in the warehouses, where repackaged wheat, flour, and maize meal were being stored.

Police also found a truck fitted with a cold room, two light delivery vehicles, one loaded with meat and an empty bakkie were also found.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hawks’ spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, says they were tipped by a reliable source.

Grobler appeared in the Secunda Magistrates court today and was released on R8 000 bail.

He faces charges of contravention of Section 3(1) read with Section 12(3) of the food staff, cosmetics and disinfectants Act 22 of 2018.

He had to hand over all his travelling documents to the investigating officer and report to Charl Culliers SAPS once a week as part of his bail conditions.

He will be back in court on the 27th of next month.

This comes as the country is still reeling from the food poisoning incidents that claimed the lives of at least 23 children, mostly in Gauteng.

Hundreds of other children landed up in hospital, sparking fears among South Africans and questions on who was killing the nation’s future leaders.

Filthy hearted farmer selling rotten food to consumers,directly trying to kill them.He must rot in jail. https://t.co/GrZ5MQTJAV

— @Mr B. (@MbenseDumisani) February 6, 2025

This is just devious & despicable, knowingly selling rotten food to unsuspecting patrons, most of whom would be black. The white farmer just gives more fuel to the movement to re-settle whites to Europe, as they are potential terrorists, in this case with rotten food. Kick out. pic.twitter.com/kPJs6SsKEJ

— Richard Stone (@StoneRicharde1) February 6, 2025

Once spoke about a third hand behind the spaza shop poisoning soon we will know the truth

— Cascar (@Raymondwils10) February 6, 2025

Terrible, that’s really terrible. class of people being “treated so badly” and their farms being raided by police 😳😳@elonmusk and @realDonaldTrump must come and help him immigrate to America

— 🐟Tlhapi🐟 (@ModiseJC) February 6, 2025

There is a lot of nonsense that happens in farms

— MlungisiMthanti 🇿🇦 (@wisemanmthanti) February 6, 2025

Lock him and throw the key away. First feed him that rotten food

— EJ (@Hadja_Safadja) February 6, 2025

Our laws are so weak in a way that everyone does as s/he wishes without fitting consequences, does including foreigners peddling drugs, human trafficking, expired food etc 😭

— Trevor Skosana Snr (@JusttSk1) February 6, 2025

@realDonaldTrump @elonmusk y’all fellow brothers are trying to kill us!

— Saint (@Lenyora_17) February 6, 2025