Frontline Hyper Supermarket in Hammanskraal is trading again, even though the Tshwane municipality says its prohibition order is still in place.
The store was shut down in December 2025 after an employee blew the whistle on food safety and health violations.
When Health-e News visited Frontline Hyper last week, the shelves and fridges still held rotten, stale and expired food. Rotten vegetables packed in February remained on the shelves, while flies, cockroaches and birds were seen inside the shop.
Despite these conditions, local tuckshop owners were buying large quantities of stock to resell in the community.
Packed meat had turned yellow and vegetables were rotting. Some sections of the shop, including the deli and butchery, were closed. The bakery was operating, but employees were baking without gloves.
Many expired items were on special. The store supervisor insisted the shop was compliant and had legal permits.
“All documents are in order, the stay soft is fine, you can use it for blankets and school uniforms for kids, it smells good,” he said, despite admitting to selling expired goods.
Store not compliant
But the City of Tshwane disputes the claim that the store is compliant.
“The City of Tshwane’s Health Services did not uplift the prohibition order issued to Frontline Store. This simply means that the store is operating contrary to a prohibition order. The matter will be escalated to the relevant law enforcement units for intervention,” says Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashego.
Mashego adds that the city was not aware that the store had reopened.
According to a security guard, the store closed for only one day. After that, it continued trading with limited stock, using back entrances to sell goods
Whistleblower
The shop’s conditions were first exposed in December 2025 by an employee who says he could no longer ignore the sale of expired goods.
“I was tired of hearing complaints about stomach cramps, diarrhoea and food poisoning from people in my community who were buying from us. I needed to clear my conscience,” he says.
His tip-off led authorities to investigate the store. The employee says the supermarket was operating without a valid Certificate of Acceptability and was selling expired products. He also alleges that the store sold cheap, rejected products and repackaged goods with reprinted expired barcodes.
“I was asked to do things that made my stomach turn,” he says. “Imagine being ordered to change expiration dates so that the store can keep selling products past their prime to my community. I didn’t want blood on my hands.”
Residents still buy at Frontline Hyper Supermarket
Health-e News visited the area after the closure and found that many residents had not been checking expiry dates and were unaware of the risks.
“Honestly, I never thought to check,” says Thandiwe Mkhize, a resident. “I just trusted the shop to sell good food. Most local shops stock from this retailer and still sell to communities. It’s a big fear because they could end up reselling rotten food.”
She says residents believed the closure was temporary and linked to renovations.
“I didn’t know it was that important,” says John Ncube, another resident. “Now I’ll definitely be checking. I buy most of my groceries from Frontline Hyper because it’s affordable. I don’t have to spend money on transport, but now I’m scared. What if they just reopen and continue selling expired food? We need to be protected.”
Regulatory protection
Tshwane municipality says it regulates and inspects food businesses through registration, inspections and enforcement.
Food businesses must register with the municipality and obtain a Certificate of Acceptability, which confirms that they meet minimum hygiene and food safety standards.
Municipal health inspectors also conduct regular inspections to check hygiene, food handling and storage. Businesses that fail to comply can be fined or shut down.
Some key laws governing food safety include the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, the Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
“To ensure compliance, food businesses should all register with the municipality and obtain a COA, implement food safety management systems, and maintain proper hygiene and food handling practices,” says Mashego.
The municipality encourages residents to report non-compliant food outlets. Mashego says inspections are increased when needed, depending on the compliance record of a particular premises.
The fine for operating a food premises without a valid Certificate of Acceptability is R5000.
Health risks
National health department spokesperson Foster Mohale says food safety is a shared responsibility.
“The national government provides legislative support, while the local government enforces compliance,” he says. “Residents should report non-compliance to their local municipality for action.”
Dr John Ndwambe, a dietician, warns that ignoring expiry dates can lead to serious health risks, including food poisoning and exposure to harmful toxins.
Expired food can also cause foodborne illnesses such as Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, which can be life-threatening. – Health-e News
