improving street foods

8/3/2019 Improving Street Foods

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IMPROVING STREET FOODS

IN

SOUTH AFRICA

by

Prof JH Martins (DCom)

Prof LE Anelich (MSc (Agric) Microbiology

BUREAU OF MARKET RESEARCHUniversity of South Africa

and

DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Technikon Pretoria

Conducted for Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations, Rome

TCP/SAF/8924(A)

2000/10 Pretoria


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

..........................................................................................................................................Page

LIST OF EXHIBITS IN TEXT ........................................................................................ iv

LIST OF TABLES IN TEXT ............................................................................................iv

CHAPTER 1: SUMMARY

1.1 OBJECTIVE, METHOD AND SCOPE .............................................................. 1

1.2 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF STREET FOODS ........................................ 1

1.3 FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF

THE HEALTH SECTOR...................................................................................... 2

1.4 STREET FOOD VENDORS ................................................................................. 2

1.5 CUSTOMERS OF STREET FOOD VENDORS ................................................ 5

1.6 QUALITY AND SAFETY OF STREET FOODS ............................................... 6

1.7 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................... 7

1.8 RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................... 8

1.9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................................................................10

CHAPTER 2: ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE AND REGULATION OF THE

INFORMAL SECTOR

2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 11

2.2 HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ON FOOD ..................................................... 11

2.3 EXPENDITURE ON FOOD BY TYPE OF OUTLET ..................................... 13

2.4 SUMMARY OF FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION IN SOUTH AFRICA ..... 16

2.5 ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR IN

SOUTH AFRICA REGARDING FOOD SAFETY .......................................... 19

2.5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 19

2.5.2 National Department of Health ........................................................................... 20

2.5.3 Provincial Health Departments ........................................................................... 21

2.5.4 Local Authorities .................................................................................................. 22


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CHAPTER 3: SOCIOECONOMIC STUDY

3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 25

3.2 OBJECTIVE ......................................................................................................... 25

3.3 METHOD AND SCOPE ...................................................................................... 25

3.3.1 Secondary sources ................................................................................................ 25

3.3.2 Primary research .................................................................................................. 25

3.3.2.1 Vendors .................................................................................................................. 26

3.3.2.2 Customers .............................................................................................................. 26

3.4 QUESTIONNAIRES ............................................................................................ 26

3.5 INTERVIEWERS ................................................................................................ 26

3.6 PROCESSING ...................................................................................................... 26

3.7 RELIABILITY OF THE DATA ......................................................................... 27

3.7.1 Sampling errors .................................................................................................... 27

3.7.2 Sample error ......................................................................................................... 27

3.7.3 Interviewer errors ................................................................................................ 29

3.7.4 Reporting errors ................................................................................................... 29

3.7.5 Procedural errors ................................................................................................. 30

3.8 VALIDATION ...................................................................................................... 30

3.9 RESULTS OF THE VENDOR SURVEY .......................................................... 30

3.9.1 Profile of street food vendors .............................................................................. 30

3.9.2 Features of outlets of street foods ....................................................................... 31

3.9.3 Toilet facilities ....................................................................................................... 35

3.9.4 Water facilities ...................................................................................................... 35

3.9.5 Hygiene of vendors ............................................................................................... 36


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3.9.6 Handling of utensils .............................................................................................. 37

3.9.7 Waste disposal ....................................................................................................... 38

3.9.8 Preparation of prepared food .............................................................................. 39

3.9.9 Financial affairs of vendors ................................................................................. 42

3.10 RESULTS OF THE CUSTOMER SURVEY .................................................... 44

3.10.1 Profile of customers .............................................................................................. 44

3.10.2 Buying behaviour of customers ........................................................................... 47

3.10.3 Satisfaction of customers with street foods ........................................................ 48

3.10.4 Price of and expenditure on street foods ............................................................ 50

3.10.5 Awareness of street food safety campaign aimed at consumers ...................... 51

3.11 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................51

CHAPTER 4: QUALITY AND SAFETY OF STREET FOODS

4.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 53

4.2 OBJECTIVE ......................................................................................................... 53

4.3 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 54

4.3.1 Sampling location ................................................................................................. 54

4.3.2 Sample collection and transport ......................................................................... 54

4.3.3 Microbiological analyses ...................................................................................... 55

4.3.3.1 Total aerobic plate count (TAPC) ......................................................................... 55

4.3.3.2 Coliform count (CC) and Escherichia coli ............................................................ 56

4.3.3.3 Salmonella ............................................................................................................. 56

4.3.3.4 Staphylococcus aureus .......................................................................................... 57

4.3.3.5 Bacillus cereus ...................................................................................................... 57

4.4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ........................................................................... 58

4.5 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 91


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3.5 KIND OF SURFACE USED FOR PREPARING STREET FOOD FROM

RAW MATERIALS ................................................................................................ 33

3.6 LOCATION OF OUTLET AND NATURE OF ROADSNEXT TO OUTLET ................................................................................................ 34

3.7 NATURE AND CONDITION OF FLOOR SURFACE OF OUTLET .............. 34

3.8 ACCESS TO, HYGIENIC CONDITIONS OF AND OWNERSHIP OF

TOILETS .................................................................................................................. 35

3.9 ACCESS TO WATER AND SOURCE OF WATER........................................... 36

3.10 TYPE OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND FREQEUNCY OF CHANGE .. . 36

3.11 WASHING OF HANDS AFTER VISITING THE TOILET .............................. 37

3.12 HYGIENIC STATUS OF THE VENDORS ......................................................... 37

3.13 HANDLING OF UTENSILS .................................................................................. 38

3.14 DISTANCE OF STREET FOOD OUTLETS FROM THE

GARBAGE DUMP .................................................................................................. 38

3.15 DEALING WITH RUBBISH DISPOSAL ............................................................ 39

3.16 DEALING WITH WASTE WATER.................................................................... 39

3.17 SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS ........................................................................ 40

3.18 SOURCE OF COOKING OIL USED FOR PREPARING STREET FOOD .. . 40

3.19 MODE OF TRANSPORT AND COOLING OF RAW MATERIALS .............. 41

3.20 TREATMENT OF LEFTOVERS ......................................................................... 41

3.21 AMOUNT OF MONEY NEEDED FOR STARTING BUSINESS ..................... 42

3.22 MAIN SOURCE OF START UP FUNDS ............................................................. 42

3.23 THE MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME OF HOUSEHOLDS ................................. 43

3.24 AVERAGE MONTHLY SALES AND INPUT/SUPPLY COSTS ..................... 44

3.25 GENDER, POPULATION AND AGE GROUP OF CUSTOMERS .................. 45

3.26 LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND OCCUPATION OF CUSTOMERS ............... 46


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3.27 DISTRIBUTION OF CUSTOMERS BY INCOME GROUP ............................. 46

3.28 TYPE OF STREET FOOD BOUGHT BY CUSTOMERS ................................. 47

3.29 WEEKLY FREQUENCY AND TIE OF THE DAY OF STREET

FOOD PURCHASES ............................................................................................. 48

3.30 INDEX OF IMPORTANCE OF REASONS FOR BUYING STREET

FOODS ..................................................................................................................... 49

3.31 INDEX OF PREFERENCE FOR A STREET FOOD VENDOR....................... 49

3.32 SATISFACTION WITH THE QUALITY OF STREET FOOD ........................ 50

3.33 STOMACHACHE AFTER STREET FOOD CONSUMPTION ........................ 50

3.34 PRICE OF STREET FOODS ................................................................................ 51

3.35 MONTHLY EXPENDITURE ON STREET FOOD ........................................... 51

4.1 TYPES OF SAMPLES TAKEN PER LOCALITY AS WELL AS HOLDING

TEMPERATURES RECORDED PER SAMPLE, GAUTENG PROVINCE

SOUTH AFRICA .................................................................................................... 60

4.2 COUNTS IN COLONY-FORMING UNITS PER GRAM (CFU/G) AND

PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF MICROORGANISMS TESTED FOR IN

MEAT/CHICKEN PRODUCTS FROM SITES SAMPLED IN THE

GAUTENG PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA .........................................................68

4.3 COUNTS IN COLONY-FORMING UNITS PER GRAM (CFU/G) AND

PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF MICROORGANISMS TESTED FOR IN

MAIZE MEAL PORRIDGE FROM SITES SAMPLED IN THE GAUTENG

PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA ............................................................................ 77


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CHAPTER 1

SUMMARY

1.1 OBJECTIVE, METHOD AND SCOPE

The overall objective of the project is to improve the quality of street food and vending in

South Africa in order to ensure consumer safety and to provide vendors and handlers with

health education and training regarding acceptable street food preparation and handling

practices. The project is divided into two studies. The one study investigated the quality

and safety of street foods, involving microbiological testing of these foods. The

socioeconomic study concentrated on the socioeconomic background of vendors and their

customers as well as vendors facilities and aspects related to the preparation of street foods.

Personal face-to-face interviews were conducted with 200 vendors and 800 of their

customers in the province, Gauteng. A sample of prepared food was also taken, aseptically,

at each of the 200 vendors, consisting of either meat/chicken or maize meal porridge.

Vendors were selected by means of a judgemental sampling method. Holding temperatures

of foods were also measured at the time of sampling. SABS ISO methods with some

modifications were used for conducting the microbiological analyses.

1.2 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF STREET FOODS

It is estimated that private households in South Africa spent R4 399,4 million on food

bought for consumption away from home in 1999. Almost half of this amount (R2 071,9

million or 47,1 %) was spent on meals and snacks in hotels and restaurants or on street food.

A further R1 211,6 million was spent on take-away meals. In 1994 an estimated R44,7

million was spent by blacks at street food outlets in Gauteng. Blacks in the Cape Peninsula

spent R4,1 million and coloured R4,8 million on prepared food bought at informal outlets in

1997 while blacks in the Durban metropolitan area spent R16,7 million and Asians R2,1

million at these outlets in 1998.


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1.3 FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE

HEALTH SECTOR

In total of thirteen acts that apply to a greater or lesser extent to the regulation of street

foods. Many local authorities also have food hygiene bylaws that they enforce in addition to

the national regulations.

The Directorate: Food Control of the National Department of Health (included in the Chief

Directorate: Registration and Regulation) is directly responsible for all matters relating to

food safety at a national level. Provincial food health control is the executive responsibility

of the nine provincial health authorities. District health systems, which includes local

authorities, are responsible for health promotion services, intersectoral collaboration,

community participation and the rendering of, inter alia, environmental health services tocommunities.

1.4 STREET FOOD VENDORS

Exhibit 1 provides a summary of the profile of the street food vendors interviewed as well as

the features of their outlets.

EXHIBIT 1

PROFILE OF VENDORS AND FEATURES OF STREET FOOD OUTLETS

Profile/feature No %

Vendors

Respondents

Secondary school and higher qualification

Female

Black/African

Age group 31 to 40 years

200

109

181

197

77

100,0

52,5

90,9

98,5

38,5

OutletsSelling porridge and meat

Average number of employees including respondent

Using plastic surface for preparing food

Situated near transport area (taxi rank, station)

Nature of nearby road tarred

Nature of floor surface cement pavement

Clean and relatively clean floor surface

172

1,98

112

149

141

126

196

64,9

-

56,0

74,5

70,5

63,0

98,0


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Facilities available to vendors can contribute to the hygiene of their preparation of street

foods. Exhibit 2 provides an indication of facilities at the disposal of street food vendors as

well as their personal hygiene relating to street food preparation, the handling of washing

utensils and waste disposal. The exhibit suggests that a lack of access to proper facilities

may affect the hygiene standards of vendors. It also suggests that training or relevant

information can contribute to better hygiene standards in a number of fields. However

almost all the vendors adhere to proper hygiene requirements regarding short and clean

nails, hands being free of sores, refraining from smoking while working with food and

taking care not to cough over food

EXHIBIT 2

FACILITIES AVAILABLE, PERSONAL HYGIENE OF VENDORS AND HANDLING OFCOOKING UTENSILS AND WASTE

Facility/personal hygiene No %

Toilets

Access

Good to excellent hygienic standard

Ownership private organizations

190

149

70

95,0

78,4

36,8

Water facilities

Access

Source tap water, private ownership

160

85

80,0

53,1

Protective clothing

None

Frequency of change every day

28

139

14,0

80,8

Wash hands after visiting toilets 184 97,0

Source of water for washing of hands running water 182 93,8

Personal hygienic status of vendors good except for:

Jewellery/bangles on arms

Handling of food and money without cleaning hands in between

64

82

32,0

41,0

Cooking utensils

Using separate utensils for raw materials and cooked food

Washing cooking utensils once per day or when there is timeChange washing water only once or twice per day

175

2621

87,5

14,010,5

Leaving rubbish disposal behind, mostly wrapped 75 37,5

Throw waste water on surface 83 41,5


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Exhibit 3 reflects the sources of materials used in the preparation of street foods, the mode

of transport and cooling of raw materials and the treatment of leftovers. The sources of raw

materials are generally satisfactory. However, the mode of transport generally, used

(carry/trolley) is not suitable for cooling raw materials during transport. Only a few (4 or

2,0 %) indicated that they sell leftovers but another 15 or 7,5 % would not say what they do

with their leftovers.

EXHIBIT 3

SOURCE, MODE OF TRANSPORT AND COOLING OF RAW MATERIALS AND

TREATMENT OF LEFT OVERS

Description No %

Main source of raw materialsMeat retailers

Chicken retailer

Maize meal retailer

Ingredients retailer

Vegetables other street food vendors

Cooking oil fresh from retailer

184

168

151

169

92

164

92,0

84,0

75,5

84,5

46,0

82,0

Main mode of transporting raw materials carry/trolley 156 78,0

Cooling of raw materials during transport 10 5,0

Sale or will not say what they do with left overs 19 9,5

The financial position of street food vendors and their businesses is summarized in exhibit 4.

EXHIBIT 4

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF VENDORS

No/R %

Average amount needed to start business

All respondents

Excluding 8 respondents who bought expensive equipment

R1 403,46

R619,91

-

-

Main source of start up funds own savings 101 50,5Main sources of household income, other than street food

vending 35 17,5

Average monthly:

Sales

Input /supply

R4 673,76

R3 068,75


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The survey amongst vendors shows that the majority have access to most facilities to ensure

the hygienic preparation of street food. Their personal hygiene as well as their source of

raw material and their handling of cooking utensils and waste disposal can be described as

relatively satisfactory in so far as the preparation of acceptable street foods is concerned.

However, improvement is possible through training in some instances. Some 82,0 % of the

vendors are not aware of a training programme for vendors and 66,0 % are not aware of the

ten golden rules of street food preparation. Vendors cannot be expected to contribute

financially to their training owing to the relatively low income of the majority. With a

monthly average sales figure of R4 637,76 and input cost of R3 068,75 the nett monthly

income of vendors is only R1 569,01.

1.5 CUSTOMERS OF STREET FOOD VENDORS

Exhibit 5 provides a profile of the customers of street food vendors. The exhibit shows that

customers of street food vendors are generally male and come from all walks of life.

EXHIBIT 5

PROFILE OF CUSTOMERS

Profile No %

Respondents

Male

Single

Black/African

Age group 26-35

Level of education secondary

post secondary

Occupation transport

professionals, managers, skilled labour

Average income

800

708

400

791

335

513

95

323

128

R1 890,00

100,0

88,4

50,0

98,9

41,9

64,1

11,9

40,4

16,0

-


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Exhibit 6 provides a summary of the buying behaviour of customers and their satisfaction

with street foods.

EXHIBIT 6

CUSTOMERS BUYING BEHAVIOUR AND SATISFACTION WITH THE QUALITY

AND PRICE OF STREET FOODS

No %

Type of street food generally bought porridge and meat

Frequency of purchases average of 5 times per week

Time of purchases midday/lunch

Quality good to very good

No experience of stomachache after street food consumption

Price reasonable to cheap

548

-

715

778

788

761

68,5

-

89,4

97,3

98,5

95,1

Monthly average expenditure on street foods R248,16

Customers cited the tastiness of street foods as the main reason for buying from street

vendors while the main reason for their choice of vendor is that the selected vendor prepares

fresh food daily.

1.6 QUALITY AND SAFETY OF STREET FOODS

Of the 200 samples taken from selected locations in Gauteng, South Africa, (see map in

annexure C) 87 consisted of meat and/or chicken and 113 consisted of maize meal porridge.

Holding temperatures of the foods sampled, varied widely with the lowest recorded

temperature being 20.1 C and the highest, 98.8 C.

Exhibit 7 provides a summary of the percentages of samples (meat/chicken vs maize meal

porridge) that tested positive for the following microbiological analyses:

Total aerobic plate count (TAPC)

Coliform count (CC)

Escherichia coli (EC)

Staphylococcus aureus (SA)

Bacillus cereus (BC)

Salmonella (S)


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EXHIBIT 7

PERCENTAGES OF SAMPLES THAT TESTED POSITIVE FOR SELECTED

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSES

Sample type TAPC (%) CC (%) EC (%) SA (%) BC (%) S (%)

Meat/chicken 46.0 11.5 5.7 3.4 10.3 0.0

Maize meal porridge 26.6 13.3 5.3 11.5 5.3 0.0

Statistical analyses by means of the ANOVA method were attempted on the results.

However, this was not successful as counts could not be categorised into groups, due to the

majority being so low. Furthermore, it was not possible to make any significant correlations

between samples where microbial growth was prevalent and the holding temperatures of the

foods as these differed widely. Also, the numbers of samples which showed growth weretoo low to make any significant comparisons.

1.7 CONCLUSIONS

The project has shown that although street food vendors have a relatively low income, they

fulfil an important function in society. Customers are satisfied with the quality and price of

street foods and find the food tasty. Furthermore, the socioeconomic results regarding the

hygiene practices of street vendors support the findings of the microbiological survey. Here,

strong correlations can be seen regarding the high standard of hygiene practices observed by

the vendors during preparation and serving of the foods and the relatively low

microbiological counts and low incidences of pathogens tested for (in the case of

Salmonella, total absence). It therefore appears that the street vendors from the regions

tested in the province Gauteng, South Africa, do observe good hygiene practices for the

preparation of safe foods.

The results of this project were presented at workshops held in three provinces of South

Africa, one in each province as follows:

1. Gauteng Province - 6 June 2000

2. Western Cape Province - 14 June 2000

3. Kwa-Zulu Natal Province - 22 June 2000


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The programmes followed in each of the above cases, are attached as Annexure C.

All workshops were very well attended by Environmental Health Officers of the particular

regions. The results from the survey were generally well-received and elicited much

discussion and interaction. Although the study was only undertaken in Gauteng, it was

generally accepted that the results can be used by Environmental Health Officers in Gauteng

and other metropolitan areas as a benchmark for comparison of their own areas with those of

the study. Some concerns, however, were expressed in particular, regarding the following:

the further use of over-used cooking oils by the vendors in frying practices;

fferent picture that would emerge from a similar survey conducted in rural areas, regarding many of the

covered in this study;

the safety of other perishable foodstuffs such as raw meat and milk handled in

the informal sector and which were not included in this study/survey.

1.8 RECOMMENDATIONS

From the discussions, comments and questions, the following recommendations are

therefore made:

that a similar survey/study be conducted in the rural areas;

that a similar survey/study be conducted on raw meat sold illegally to the public

from informal settlements, which is an increasing practice;

that a similar survey/study be conducted on raw, uncertified milk which is being sold

illegally to the public in many settlements, also an increasing practice;

that the results from the above two studies be presented to government in a

bid to fund resources for better monitoring of these illegal practices;

that the use of over-used cooking oil, which poses a definite threat in South

Africa to human health, be further investigated, based on similar studies

already conducted by various groups such as that of Ms L Anelich for her

PhD (one of the consultants for this project);


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that funds be allocated by the relevant authorities to build the necessary

facilities and infrastructure to allow street vendors to operate in a proper,

healthy environment, thereby contributing to the sale of safe foods;

that street vendors be required to pay a minimum fee, taking into account

their financial constraint, for using space and facilities, as well as the proper

maintenance of the infrastructure, once erected;

that, where not attended yet, proper training is given to the street vendors

with regard to basic food hygiene at times on days suitable to them;

that certain HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) principles

such as time and temperature control, be implemented accordingly;

that the necessary training in the above principles be given, prior to

implementation;

that adequate funding be made available for all training exercises;

that negotiations between authorities and street vendors be the preferred form

of approach in all situations that may arise;

that Environmental Health Officers not only act as enforcers of regulations

by policing, but also as trainers, educators and helpers where necessary to

assist the street vendors to become established;

that Environmental Health Officers enforce the law with discretion and good

judgement and when all the above fails;

that funds be allocated for the workshops presented in the mentioned three

provinces, (KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape), to also be presented

in the remaining six provinces.


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1.9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Consultants would like to thank the FAO for giving them the opportunity to work on this

project. They would also like to thank Mr Seatla Nkosi from the FAO and Mr Dries

Pretorius from the National Department of Health for their efforts and time spent on the

project. They would like to acknowledge all the fieldworkers, staff members and students at

Technikon Pretoria and the BMR for their hard work.


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CHAPTER 2

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE AND REGULATION OF THE INFORMAL SECTOR

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Small, medium and microenterprises (SMMEs) have proven to be important employment

creators in South Africa and are increasingly broadening their impact on the national

economy. They are often the vehicles through which the lowest-income groups in society

gain access to economic opportunities. This is an important factor since the distribution

of income and wealth in South Africa is classed among the most unequal in the world.

Despite a positive growth rate since 1993, formal employment generation has generally

declined since 1990. For instance, the number of nonagricultural formal jobs decreasedduring 1996 and in every other year over the last seven years, except during 1995 when a

small increase was registered.

In the 1995 October Household Survey (OHS), the Central Statistical Service (now

Statistics South Africa) estimated that 58,6 % of the economically active population of

South Africa was employed in the formal sector, 29,3 % was unemployed and 12,1 %

worked in the informal sector. Of those active in the informal sector, 44,8 % worked in

nonurban areas and 55,2 % in urban areas. The number of workers for own account in the

informal sector by economic sector shows that 58 % were active in personal services, 21

% in trade, catering and accommodation, 6 % in manufacturing, 5 % in construction and 4

% in transport and storage.

It is estimated that retail sales in the informal sector amounted to approximately R50

billion in 1997. This represents almost 13 % of private consumption expenditure or

almost 9 to 10 % of the South African GDP at market prices. The informal sector is

particularly prominent in sales of product groups such as food, soft drinks, alcoholic

beverages, fuel and light, cigarettes and tobacco, washing and cleaning items and personal

care items.

2.2 HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ON FOOD

Total household expenditure on food for 1999 is estimated at R97 064 million of which

R94 229 million or 97,1 % was in cash and R2 835 million or 2,9 % in kind. In kind

represents food given to households by employers and social welfare as well as the

estimated consumption of self produced food.


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Table 2.1 shows the household cash expenditure on food by main food and population

group for 1999.

TABLE 2.1

HOUSEHOLD CASH EXPENDITURE ON FOOD BY MAIN FOOD AND POPULATIONGROUP, 1999

Main food groupAsians Blacks Coloureds Whites Total

R000 % R000 % R000 % R000 % R000 %

Grain products 796 074 17,6 15 071 295 26,8 1 667 708 18,7 3 265 396 13,3 20 800 474 22,1

Meat products 1 063 804 23,6 12 359 900 22,0 2 399 098 26,9 6 546 247 26,6 22 369 049 23,7

Fish products 243 821 5,4 1 560 675 2,8 400 984 4,5 907 127 3,7 3 112 606 3,3

Fats & oils 168 054 3,7 2 266 615 4,0 358 352 4,0 783 632 3,2 3 576 653 3,8

Milk products and eggs 548 334 12,1 5 290 976 9,4 926 228 10,4 2 928 389 11,9 9 693 928 10,3

Vegetables 480 683 10,7 6 284 484 11,2 968 021 10,8 2 317 729 9,4 10 050 918 10,7

Fruit and nuts 226 302 5,0 2 240369 4,0 362 019 4,1 1 275 875 5,2 4 104 565 4,4

Sugar products 224 029 5,0 3 781 065 6,7 575 915 6,4 1 261 852 5,1 5 842 861 6,2

Nonalcoholic beverages 282 273 6,3 3 430 598 6,1 618 483 6,9 1 849 200 7,5 6 180 555 6,6

Miscellaneous food 215 617 4,8 2 263 676 4,0 415 774 4,7 1 202 655 4,9 4 097 722 4,3

Food bought for consumption

away from home

264 434 5,9 1 588 991 2,8 239 840 2,7 2 306 090 9,4 4 399 354 4,7

Total 4 513 425 100,0 56 138 644100,0 8 932 422100,0 24 644 192 100,0 94 228 685 100,0

Cash expenditure on prepared food for 1999 is estimated at R4 399 million or 4,7 % of total

household cash expenditure on food. The percentage expenditure on food bought for

consumption away from home as a percentage of total household cash expenditure on food

is the lowest for coloureds (2,7 %) and the highest for whites (9,4 %).

A further breakdown of food bought for consumption away from home (table 2.2) shows

that R2 072 million or 47,1 % of the R4 399 million is spent on meals and snacks consumed

in hotels, restaurants et cetera, which includes street food vendors. However, the figure for

expenditure on meals and snacks may be too low due to reporting errors by respondents.


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In a household income and expenditure questionnaire where expenditure on approximately

550 expenditure items is requested it often happens that expenditure on items that normally

fall outside the normal household budget is under-reported since the main respondent,

usually the housewife, is unaware of such expenditure.

TABLE 2.2

HOUSEHOLD CASH EXPENDITURE ON FOOD BOUGHT FOR CONSUMPTION

AWAY FROM HOME BY ITEM AND POPULATION GROUP, 1999

ItemAsians Blacks Coloureds Whites Total

R000 % R000 % R000 % R000 % R000 %

Meals and snacks

(consumed in hotels,restaurants etc) 133 043 50,3 450 955 28,4 94 770 39,5 1 393 170 60,4 2 071 938 47,1

Take-away meals

purchased 83 118 31,4 488 852 30,8 82 490 34,4 557 154 24,2 1 211 614 27,5

Meals and snacksenjoyed in staff

cafeterias 14 637 5,5 160 888 10,1 15 829 6,6 134 977 5,9 326 331 7,4

Nonalcoholic beverages

consumed away fromhome 33 636 12,7 488 296 30,7 46 750 19,5 220 789 9,6 78 971 17,9

Total 264 434 100,0 1 588 991 100,0 239 840 100,0 2 306 090 100,0 3 688 854 100,0

2.3 EXPENDITURE ON FOOD BY TYPE OF OUTLET

The BMR has done three surveys to determine expenditure by type of outlet. One was done

in Gauteng in 1994 (BMR Research Report no 222), one in the Cape Peninsula in 1997

(Research Report no 254) and one in the Durban metropolitan area in 1998 (BMR Research

Report no 268). Respondents in these surveys were requested to indicate where they had

last bought the items on which they had recently spent money. Tables 2.3 to 2.5 show the

expenditure of black households on food by type of outlet for the three areas respectively.

Table 2.3 shows that black households in Gauteng spent 28 % or R2,141 million of their

total cash expenditure on food of R7 646 million at informal outlets in 1994. Taking

population growth and inflation into account, this figure would amount to more than R15

million in 2000. Almost two thirds (64 %) of the cash expenditure of black households in

Gauteng was devoted to vegetables, 47 % to grain products and 46 % to fruit and nuts at

informal outlets. An estimated R44,7 million or 16 % of the R279,6 million spent on

prepared food by black households in Gauteng was spent at informal outlets in 1994.


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TABLE 2.3

BLACK HOUSEHOLDS IN GAUTENG:

CASH EXPENDITURE ON FOOD BY MAIN GROUP AND TYPE OF OUTLET, 1994

Main group

Amount

Formal Informal

Mail

order

Super- or

hypermarket

Wholesaler

and factory

Other

formal

business

Total

Hawker

or flea

market

Spaza

shopShebeen

Other

informal

sector

Total

R000 % % % % % % % % % %

Grain

products1 372 319 0 30 2 21 53 0 46 0 1 47

Meat products 2 762 132 0 25 1 66 92 2 1 0 5 8

Fish products 186 233 0 51 3 28 82 0 16 0 3 18

Fats and oils 2 150 60 0 70 7 12 89 0 11 0 0 11

Milk productsand eggs

489 074 0 61 3 14 78 2 17 0 3 22

Vegetables 800 640 0 12 1 23 36 32 20 0 12 64

Fruit and nuts 577 903 0 38 2 14 54 26 6 0 14 46

Sugar

products325 813 0 60 4 16 80 2 16 0 2 20

Nonalcoholic

beverages331 675 0 52 3 26 81 0 15 0 4 19

Miscellaneou

s food305 903 0 70 3 10 83 1 13 0 3 17

Prepared food 279 583 0 7 0 77 84 1 2 0 13 16

Total 7 646 335 0 33 2 37 72 7 15 0 6 28

Blacks in the Cape Peninsula (table 2.4) spent an estimated R476,8 million or 33,9 % of

their total cash expenditure on food at informal outlets in 1997. The amount spent at

informal outlets for prepared food is estimated at R4,1 million or 11,9 % of the total of

R34,2 million.

Coloureds in the Cape Peninsula spent R3 305,1 million in cash on food in 1997.

Expenditure on prepared foods amounted to R120,6 million. The estimated amount spent at

informal outlets is estimated at R4,8 million. Whites in the Cape Peninsula spent R139,3

million of their total expenditure of R3 316,6 million on food at informal outlets. However,

they reported no expenditure at informal outlets on prepared food.


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TABLE 2.4

BLACK HOUSEHOLDS IN THE CAPE PENINSULA:

CASH EXPENDITURE ON FOOD BY MAIN FOOD GROUP AND TYPE OF OUTLET,

1997

Main group

Amount

Formal Informal

Mail

order

Super- or

hypermarket

Wholesaler

and factory

Other

formal

business

Total

Hawker

or flea

market

Spaza

shopShebeen

Other

informal

sector

Total

R000 % % % % % % % % % %

Grain

products312 401 0,2 35,3 4,2 16,5 56,2 1,4 41,3 0,2 1,0 43,9

Meat products 475 980 0,1 32,1 1,2 47,5 80,9 4,6 3,4 0,0 11,2 19,2

Fish products 25 935 0,0 41,0 6,4 26,4 73,8 4,3 18,0 0,0 3,9 26,2

Fats and oils 43 638 0,3 70,6 4,5 4,3 79,7 2,3 16,9 0,0 1,1 20,3

Milk products

and eggs93 909 0,2 53,7 3,6 8,0 65,5 3,7 27,3 0,0 3,4 34,4

Vegetables 151 605 0,0 22,7 3,5 7,8 34,0 34,1 22,1 0,0 9,9 66,1

Fruit and nuts 94 158 0,0 37,1 4,9 3,9 45,9 35,6 11,8 0,0 6,7 54,1

Sugar

products56 099 0,0 57,1 17,5 6,4 81,0 1,1 15,0 0,0 2,9 19,0

Nonalcoholic

beverages51 875 0,0 46,5 7,3 17,2 71,0 5,4 21,7 0,5 1,4 29,0

Miscellaneou

s food66 841 0,1 60,7 9,1 2,2 72,1 2,3 25,1 0,0 0,5 27,9

Prepared food 34 179 0,0 11,9 1,1 75,0 88,0 0,7 10,6 0,0 0,6 11,9

Total 1 406 620 0,1 37,3 4,0 24,8 66,2 8,7 19,0 0,1 6,1 33,9

An estimated R393,9 million or 11,9 % of total cash expenditure of blacks in the Durban

metropolitan area in 1998 on food (R3 367,1 million) was spent at informal outlets (table

2.5). The share of the informal sector in expenditure on prepared food is estimated at 12,4

% or R16,7 million of the R34,9 million.

Cash expenditure at informal outlets by Asians in the Durban metropolitan area in 1998 is

estimated at R310,4 million or 13,7 % of their total cash expenditure of R2 265, 9 million on

food. They spent R2,1 million of their total expenditure of R108,8 million on prepared food

at informal outlets. Whites in the Durban metropolitan area spent an estimated R74,2

million of their total expenditure of R1 854,1 million on food at informal outlets in 1998.

Prepared food bought at informal outlets amounted to R1,3 million of their total cash

expenditure of R250,2 million.


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TABLE 2.5

BLACK HOUSEHOLDS IN THE DURBAN METROPLITAN AREA:

CASH EXPENDITURE ON FOOD BY MAIN FOOD GROUP AND TYPE OF OUTLET,

1997

Main group

Amount

Formal Informal

Mail

order

Super- or

hypermarket

Wholesaler

and factory

Other

formal

business

Total

Hawker

or flea

market

Spaza

shopShebeen

Other

informal

sector

Total

R000 % % % % % % % % % %

Grain

products683 021 0,0 64,4 2,0 4,6 71,0 0,4 27,1 0,0 1,5 29,0

Meat products 1 162 383 0,0 40,1 0,1 56,0 96,6 0,4 0,0 0,0 3,1 3,5

Fish products 73 816 0,0 88,5 0,0 10,9 99,4 0,0 0,6 0,0 0,0 0,6

Fats and oils 131 530 0,0 92,8 0,5 6,0 99,3 0,0 0,6 0,0 0,0 0,6

Milk products

and eggs220 311 0,0 86,3 0,2 11,1 97,6 0,3 1,7 0,0 0,4 2,4

Vegetables 421 477 0,0 61,6 0,0 16,3 77,9 20,0 2,0 0,0 0,1 22,1

Fruit and nuts 149 679 0,0 75,7 12,7 88,4 11,4 0,2 0,0 0,0 0,0 11,6

Sugar

products151 707 0,0 85,6 0,9 7,7 94,2 4,1 1,8 0,0 0,0 5,9

Nonalcoholic

beverages107 838 0,0 63,0 1,7 24,4 89,1 5,8 2,6 0,0 2,5 10,9

Miscellaneou

s food130 440 0,0 93,2 0,4 4,4 98,0 0,3 1,7 0,0 0,0 2,0

Prepared food 134 889 0,0 8,4 0,0 79,2 87,6 0,0 0,0 0,0 12,4 12,4

Total 3 367 091 0,0 59,0 0,6 28,7 88,3 3,6 6,1 0,0 2,0 11,7

2.4 SUMMARY OF FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

The South African legislation relating to food safety and the authorities that are involved in

the administration and enforcement of such legislation include the following:

1. The Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972. This Act addresses the

manufacture, sale and importation of foodstuffs from a safety/public health and quality

point of view and is administered by the Directorate: Food Control of the Department of

Health. General law enforcement is conducted by authorized local authorities in their

areas of jurisdiction while import control is exercised by the provincial health authorities

on behalf of the national department.


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2. The Health Act 63 of 1977. This Act addresses many issues that are not related to food.

However, some of its regulations relate to hygiene aspects of food premises (including

milking sheds) and the transport of food. These are also administered by the

Directorate: Food Control of the Department of Health and enforced by local authorities

in their areas of jurisdiction. However, provincial health departments are involved in

enforcement in areas where there are no local authorities.

3. The International Health Regulations Act 28 of 1974, has certain provisions that relate to

food. The Department of Health is responsible for the approval of the source of food for

consumption of the premises on ports and airports as well as vessels and aircrafts. It

also states that such food must be handled in a hygienic manner. Currently the

provincial health authorities are conducting these approvals on behalf of the nationaldepartment. The Act tasks local authorities to inspect the premises and take food

samples for analysis. Although this is a South African Act, it is based on decisions of

the World Health Assembly.

4. The Agricultural Product Standards Act 119 of 1990, controls and promotes specific

standards (for items such as meat, dairy products, agronomy products, certain canned

products, fruit and vegetables) for local, import and export purposes and in accordance

with arrangements relating to the World Trade Organizations Agree-ment on Technical

Barriers to Trade. The Act is administered and enforced by the Directorate: Plant and

Quality Control of the National Department of Agriculture. The National Department of

Agriculture is responsible for the compilation and auditing of these norms and standards.

Various assignees such as the Perishable Products Export Control Board have been

appointed and authorized to do physical inspections in terms of the Act.

5. The Liquor Products Act 60 of 1989 addresses the import, export and local sale of wine

and spirits. Certain practices such as wine certification, which is done by the Wine and

Spirits Board, have been delegated. The Act is administered and enforced by the

Directorate: Plant and Quality Control of the National Department of Agriculture.


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6. The Abattoir Hygiene Act 121 of 1992 is administered by the Directorate: Veterinary

Public Health of the National Department of Agriculture. It addresses food safety in red

meat and poultry abattoirs and sets hygiene standards for abattoirs. These regulations

are enforced mainly by the provincial agriculture departments. The importation of

unprocessed meat is also controlled by the Act. This aspect is enforced by the national

department.

7. The Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984 is administered by the Directorate: Animal Health

of the National Department of Agriculture and en-forced by the provincial departments,

except for import control which is a national responsibility. The Act controls animals as

well as animal products, including meat, milk, eggs and their products from an animal

disease point of view.

8. The Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act 36 of 1947

is administered and enforced by the Directorate: Agriculture Production Inputs of the

National Department of Agriculture. Animal feeds (including nutritional purpose

products), stock remedies and agricultural remedies (pesticides etc) are registered in

terms of this Act.

9. The Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 is administered and enforced by

the Directorate: Medicines Administration of the Department of Health. The Act makes

provision for, inter alia, the registration of veterinary drugs as well as for the registration

of foodstuffs and food supplements with medicinal effects or in respect of which

medicinal claims are made.

10. The Standards Act 29 of 1993, which is administered and enforced by the South African

Bureau of Standards, has, inter alia, compulsory standard specifications which address

the production of canned meat (more than 10 % meat) and canned and frozen marine

products.

11. The Plant Breeders Rights Act 15 of 1976, the Plant Improvement Act 53 of 1976 and

the Genetically Modified Organisms Act 25 of 1997 are also administered by the

Directorate: Plant and Quality Control. The regulations made in terms of these Acts

and the application thereof apply to certain food as defined.


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12. The Agricultural Pest Act 36 of 1983. Plant Health Services administers and revises the

Agricultural Pests Act, which regulates the importation of controlled goods such as plant

products, exotic animals, insects and pathogens, honey and used apiary equipment.

These measures are in accordance with the objectives of the International Plant

Convention (IPPC) of which South Africa was one of the founder members in 1952.

The Directorate: Plant and Quality Control is the designated National Plant Protection

Organisation (NPPO) of South Africa.

13. The Trade Metrology Act 77 of 1973 and the Trade Marks Act 62 of 1963 both relate to

food labeling.

14. By-laws of local authorities. Many local authorities have food hygiene by-laws which

they enforce in addition to the national regulations.

2.5 ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR IN

SOUTH AFRICA REGARDING FOOD SAFETY

2.5.1 Introduction

The Government of South Africa has adopted a Primary Health Care (PHC) approach

through theNational Health Plan for South Africa and the Reconstruction and Development

Programme in 1994, and subsequently the White Paper on Health: Towards a National

Health System, published in November 1996. The White Paper provides for the

establishment of a national health system in South Africa which, will in broad terms, consist

of three levels of health service delivery with each level responsible for specific functions.

These functions provide for, inter alia, the rendering of services aimed at ensuring the safety

of foodstuffs offered to the consumer.

Summarised from a paper compiled by AWJ Pretorius, Deputy Director: Department of Health,

Directorate: Food Control, July 1998


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The services in question are generally referred to as food control, which is defined by the

WHO as a mandatory regulatory activity of enforcement by national (or provincial) or local

authorities to provide consumer protection and to ensure that all foods during production,

handling, storage, processing and distribution are safe; wholesome and fit for human

consumption; conform to quality and safety re-quirements; and are honestly and accurately

labelled as prescribed by law. Food control within the health sector at a provincial and

district/local level is integrated with the environmental health services rendered by the

authorities in question.

The following is a detailed description of the role, functions and responsibilities of the

components of the national health system at present regarding food control from a food

safety point of view.

2.5.2 National Department of Health

The Directorate: Food Control of the National Department of Health, included in the Chief

Directorate: Registration and Regulation, is directly responsible for all matters relating to

food safety at a national level with the health system and addresses this through the

following broad objectives:

To protect consumers and facilitate trade by compiling food legislation and regulations

that are in line with international standards;

To ensure safe foodstuffs and compliance with legal requirements by means of effective

monitoring; and

To promote the health of all our people by informing and educating consumers, industry

and law enforcers.

Specific objectives of the Directorate currently relate to, inter alia, the following aspects:

Improving the safety of street foods.

Acting as National Contact Point for Codex Alimentarius and participating in itsactivities.


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Rationalising and updating South African legislation related to food standards and

related matters.

Arranging and coordinating sampling of specific foodstuffs by provincial and local

authorities as part of a routine food monitoring programme.

Developing and distributing appropriate health education material to the relevant

customers of the Directorate.

Coordinating the activities of the role players involved in the safety of aviation food.

Evaluating biopesticides, agricultural and stock remedies, and other chemicals from a

food safety point of view.

Developing a national Food Safety Programme Auditing System relating to the control

of domestic as well as imported foodstuffs.

Addressing the application of HACCP through policy formulation and information,

education and communication (IEC) actions.

The functions of the Directorate regarding the control of foodstuffs are determined by the

provisions of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972.

2.5.3 Provincial Health Departments

Due to the restructuring of the public health sector after the election in 1994 and on the basis

of the White Paper, health food control as a component of a comprehensive Environmental

Health Service became the executive responsibility of the nine provincial health authorities.

The White Paper specifies the following broad functions relating to food control as the

responsibility of the provincial health departments:

Support, monitor and evaluate district (local) level services

Provide certain specialist provincial level services, such as Port Health Services


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Coordinate health services within each province

Formulate norms and standards for district health services

Formulate protocols and strategies for health programmes

Coordination of matters relating to food control among the nine provincial components and

the Directorate: Food Control at national level is achieved through, inter alia, the Inter-

provincial Port Health Committee and the National Environmental Health Forum, which

meets biannually.

A full-time Port Health Service is rendered on behalf of the National Department of Health,

by the four provinces responsible for the control of most of the foodstuffs imported into

South Africa namely: KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Gauteng.

Arrangements are in place in the remaining provinces to control foodstuffs currently

entering the country through inland border posts from neighbouring countries.

2.5.4 Local Authorities

The district health system, which includes local authorities, is responsible for the following

broad functions:

Health promotion services

Inter-sectoral collaboration

Community participation

Rendering, inter alia, environmental health services to communities relating to the

following:

- maintenance of its area in a hygienic condition

- investigating complaints

- enforcement of relevant legislation

- identification and control of health hazards


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The statutory mandate of local authorities relating to food control derives from:

The authorisation of individual local authorities by the Minister of Health to enforce the

provisions of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972 and the

regulations published thereunder, within their area of jurisdiction.

The Health Act 63 of 1978, which states the responsibility of all local authorities to

render, inter alia, environmental health services, including food control, and provides for

various food hygiene related regulations.

Many local authorities have promulgated their own local regulations or bylaws

applicable to various aspects of food control and which are mainly an extension of thementioned national regulations relating to food hygiene.

In areas where no local authority exists, or where such an authority is not in a position to

render the service in question, the above-mentioned statutory mandate is the responsibility

of the relevant district health authority and the provincial health authority.

The activities of district/local authorities relating to food control generally centre around the

following:

Law enforcement based on inspections of food premises and sampling of food-stuffs,

(including milk and other perishable foodstuffs).

Health education for food processors, handlers and consumers, especially within the

informal sector.

Advising existing and prospective entrepreneurs of requirements relating to food

premises and the safe handling of food.

The Control of foodstuffs imported by the provinces on behalf of the national

component.


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CHAPTER 3

SOCIOECONOMIC STUDY

3.1 INTRODUCTION

The interviewing for the socioeconomic survey started on 28 February 2000 and was

completed on 10 April 2000. The first section of this chapter provides the results of the

survey amongst vendors while the second section is devoted to the results of the survey

amongst their customers.

3.2 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this part of the study was to determine the socioeconomic background of

vendors as well as their customers to obtain a clear picture of the target groups at whom

the outcome of the project must be targeted. A further objective was to investigate the

facilities and other aspects related to the preparation of street foods.

3.3 METHOD AND SCOPE

The study entails a combination of secondary and primary research. A total of 200

samples from the Gauteng region (ie from 200 vendors) were tested.

3.3.1 Secondary sources

The first step was to scrutinise existing secondary sources. The BMR database with

information obtained from household income and expenditure surveys and SMMEs in

metropolitan and large urban areas in all nine provinces, was utilized for relevant

information.

3.3.2 Primary research

Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 200 vendors and 800 of their customers.


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3.3.2.1 Vendors

A judgmental sample of survey areas throughout Gauteng was selected to ensure that all

possible areas of concentration of vendors were included - for instance taxi ranks, railway

stations, CBD, industrial areas and pension pay-out points. Depending on the number of

vendors at a point, a census or a systematic random sample was taken. The food sampling

for the quality and safety study was done at the same vendors selected for the

socioeconomic survey.

3.3.2.2 Customers

At least four customers of each vendor were interviewed. A nonprobability convenience

sampling method was followed to select respondents. On completion of an interview, the

next customer was interviewed. The interviewers moved to the next selected vendor after

the completion of four interviews. Eight hundred customers were interviewed.

3.4 QUESTIONNAIRES

Pre-structured questionnaires were used for the interviewing (see annexure A for the

questionnaire used for vendors and annexure B for the customers questionnaire).

3.5 INTERVIEWERS

One junior researcher and two research assistants employed at the BMR and one student

from the Technikon of Pretoria did the interviewing and sampling of the food.

3.6 PROCESSING

During editing of the socioeconomic questionnaires, codes were allocated to all open-ended

questions and the data captured on computer. Thereafter the data set was cleaned for

possible coding and data capturing errors. The socioeconomic data were processed by

means of computer.


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3.7 RELIABILITY OF THE DATA

3.7.1 Sampling errors

The analyst should bear in mind that the information was gathered in a sample survey where

a combination of judgement (nonprobability) sampling for the selection of the businesses

and convenience (nonprobability) sampling for the selection of the customers was used. A

judgement sampling method was used in the absence of a sample frame of informal

businesses. It is therefore not possible to inflate the results to a total for the areas. The

calculation of a possible sample error for information obtained by means of a nonprobability

sample can give an indication of the possible statistical sample error. Although the results

of the survey are set out in terms of numbers, indices, and percentages in tables, the reader

should bear in mind that the information is more of a qualitative than of a quantitativenature.

3.7.2 Sample error

Sample error arises because only a fraction of the population is interviewed. As the data

collected in this survey are based on samples drawn by nonprobability methods, the size of

the sample errors can give an estimated statistical sample error. Despite the existence of

statistical techniques for calculating the extent of sample errors, it is hardly practical to

compute the sample error of every average calculated in the study.

Sample error is computed from the standard deviation of sampling means. The function of

the standard deviation of sampling means is to provide an interval within which the sample

mean may have deviated from the true population mean as a result of sampling variations.

This interval is termed the confidence region.

The formula for estimating the standard deviation of sampling means ( x

) is:

n

sx =


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TABLE 3.1

SAMPLE ERROR FOR SELECTED SOCIOECONOMIC RESEARCH RESULTS

Research result AverageSample error Limits*

R or % % Lower Upper

Vendors

Average sales

Respondents who know about

education programmes

Customers

Average expenditure on street

foods

Quality of street foods is very

good

R4 637,76

18,0 %

R248,16

23,0 %

R21,46

2,7 %

R3,74

1,5 %

0,5 %

15,0 %

1,5 %

6,5 %

R4 595,70

12,7 %

R240,83

20,1 %

R4 679,82

23,3 %

R255,49

25,9 %

* At a 95 % confidence level

3.7.3 Interviewer errors

Three types of errors can be caused by an interviewers behaviour, namely errors in asking

questions, errors in recording answers and errors due to cheating. Although interviewers

were well trained and experienced in interviewing it is possible that the first two types of

mistakes may have a negative influence on the survey results. Reliable interviewers

working in a team generally precludes cheating.

3.7.4 Reporting errors

It is virtually impossible to eliminate reporting errors completely. Every possible precaution

was taken in the construction of the questionnaire and the training and supervision of the

interviewers to minimize these errors. The fact remains, however, that respondents tend tooverstate status items like level of training. The opposite occurs for commitments such as

possible financial responsibilities and income.


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3.7.5 Procedural errors

As mentioned earlier, nonprobability judgement sampling with an inappropriate sample

frame was used to select the sample units. Without information on the number of businesses

by area it is impossible to calculate weighting factors to use for totalling the information for

different areas.

For reasons of cost and time, surveys only were undertaken in Gauteng. We therefore

caution the reader not to over generalise the results of the study and make them applicable to

all areas in the country.

3.8 VALIDATION

The reliability of survey findings is usually measured by comparison with secondary

sources. Such comparisons were not made in this report for want of comparable secondary

data.

3.9 RESULTS OF THE VENDOR SURVEY

Two hundred street food vendors, 46 of which operate in Pretoria-Soshanguve, 56 in the

East Rand, 50 in the West Rand and 48 in the Johannesburg-Soweto area were interviewed

with the questionnaire contained in annexure A. For purposes of this study street food

vendors include: Unregistered small businesses selling prepared foods on the streets,

pavements, in parks, at taxi ranks, pay points, train stations, schools and other educational

institutions, in CBDs etc.

3.9.1 Profile of street food vendors

Table 3.2 shows the profile of the street food vendors included in the study. The vast

majority (90,5 %) of the vendors are female. Only 3 of 200 (1,5 %) were not black. The

average distribution favours the 31 to 40 age group with 38,5 % falling into this group

followed by the 21 to 30 age group (27,0 %) and 41 to 50 age group (24,5 %). Almost half

(48,0 %) have a secondary school qualification but 13,0 % have no formal schooling.


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TABLE 3.2

PROFILE OF STREET FOOD VENDORS

No %

Level of education

NonePrimary school

Secondary school

Std 10+ diploma/certificate

Tertiary

2665

96

12

1

13,032,5

48,0

6,0

0,5

Gender

Male

Female

19

181

9,5

90,9

Population group

African/Black

Coloured

White

197

1

2

98,5

0,5

1,0Age group

51

2

54

77

49

18

1,0

27,0

38,5

24,5

9,0

Total 200 100,0

3.9.2 Features of outlets of street foods

Table 3.3 shows the products that street food vendors sell as well as the share of the product

in their joint total sales. Porridge and meat is sold by 172 or 86,0 % of the 200 vendors that

were interviewed. Sales of porridge and meat contribute 64,9 % to the total sales at the

outlets selling porridge and meat. The rest of the income derives from one or more of the

other products listed. Tea, bread, vetkoek and eggs are sold by 26,5 % of the vendors and

these sales account for 27,6 % of their total sales.


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TABLE 3.3

PRODUCTS SOLD BY STREET FOOD VENDORS

Product

Vendors who are

selling productAverage %

of vendor

salesNo %Porridge and meat 172 86,0 64,9

Bread and tea/vetkoek/eggs 53 26,5 27,6

Tea 28 14,0 15,3

Vegetables 26 13,0 21,9

Chicken and porridge 24 12,0 48,3

Vegetables and salads 19 9,5 22,1

Salads 19 9,5 18,4

Rice and salads 19 9,5 23,4

Rice 13 6,5 25,4

Chicken 11 5,5 40,0

Porridge 10 5,0 37,0Meat 10 5,0 35,0

Vetkoek 7 3,5 12,9

Soft drinks 7 3,5 23,6

Porridge, meat and chicken, mogodu/mutton 7 3,5 51,4

Rice and meat 6 3,0 31,7

Bread 5 2,5 34,0

Hot dogs/burgers/sandwiches 5 2,5 26,0

Tea and cakes 4 2,0 32,5

Bread and eggs 4 2,0 43,8

Rice and chicken 4 2,0 42,5

Beef and chicken 3 1,5 31,7

Cakes and eggs 2 1,0 15,0

Rice, meat and chicken 2 1,0 25,0

Chips and burgers 2 1,0 25,0

Porridge, rice and meat 1 0,5 70,0

Cigarettes 1 0,5 10,0

Table 3.4 shows the number of people, including the vendor, employed by the vendors. The

distribution varies from 66 vendors (33,0 %) who have a one-person business to one vendor

with eight employees. The average for all 200 vendors is 1,98 employees.


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TABLE 3.4

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

No of employees No %

1 66 33,0

2 95 47,53 25 12,5

4 10 5,0

5 3 1,5

8 1 0,5

Total 200 100,0

Average number 1,98

Table 3.5 shows the kind of surface that vendors use when preparing street food from raw

materials. Plastic is used by more than half (56 %) of the vendors. Seventy seven or 38,5 %make use of wood and 34,0 % make use of metal to do their preparation.

TABLE 3.5

KIND OF SURFACE USED FOR PREPARING STREET FOOD FROM RAW

MATERIALS

Kind of surface No* %

Plastic 112 56,0

Wood 77 38,5Metal 68 34,0

Cement/cardboard/newspaper 21 10,5

Cloth 12 6,0

Glass 1 0,5

* More than 200 due to multiple respondes

The areas in which the vendors run their businesses as well as the nature of the roads along

which their stalls are located is set out in table 3.6. The majority interviewed were near

transport areas, mostly taxi ranks or stations situated on their own (47,5 %) and in

commercial areas (25,0 %). The majority of stalls are next to tarred roads (70,5 %) or along

combined tarred and cement roads (16,0 %).


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TABLE 3.6

LOCATION OF OUTLET AND NATURE OF ROADS NEXT TO OUTLET

No %

Location of stall

Residential area

Transport/commercial area in residential areaTransport area

Transport area near hospital

Transport area in commercial area

Industrial area

Industrial area in commercial area

Commercial area

Recreational area in commercial area

Construction site

Hospital

1

195

3

50

21

3

17

1

2

6

0,5

0,547,5

1,5

25,0

10,5

1,5

8,5

0,5

1,0

3,0

Nature of roads

Gravel road

Gravel and tarred road

Gravel/tarred and cement road

Tarred road

Tarred and grass road

Tarred and cement road

Cement road

Cement and gravel road

Grass road

11

5

3

141

1

32

5

1

1

5,5

2,5

1,5

70,5

0,5

16,0

2,5

0,5

0,5

Total 200 100,0

The nature of the floor surface as well as the condition of the floor surface of the outlets

from which the street food vendors conduct their business is shown in table 3.7. Most (63,0

%) of the vendors run their businesses from outlets on cement pavements which are

relatively clean (76,0 %).

TABLE 3.7

NATURE AND CONDITION OF FLOOR SURFACE OF OUTLETS

No %

Nature of floor surface

Pavement/cementTarred

Grass

Plastic

Gravel

Other

12611

8

4

33

18

63,05,5

4,0

2,0

16,5

9,0

Condition of floor surface

Clean

Relatively clean

Dirty

44

152

4

22,0

76,0

2,0

Total 200 100,0


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3.9.3 Toilet facilities

Table 3.8 shows the number of vendors who have access to toilet facilities at their business

outlets, the hygienic condition of these toilets and the ownership of the toilets that they use.

Ten or 5,0 % of the 200 vendors interviewed do not have toilet facilities near their outlets.

In cases where toilets are available, most are in a good (58,4 %) to excellent (20,0 %)

hygienic condition.

TABLE 3.8

ACCESS TO, HYGIENIC CONDITION OF AND OWNERSHIP OF TOILETS

No %

Access

YesNo 19010 95,05,0

Total 200 100,0

Hygienic condition

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Very poor

38

111

10

27

4

20,0

58,4

5,3

14,2

2,1

Total 190 100,0

Ownership of toilets

MetrorailPublic departments

Public parks

Other

Private organizations

Hospital

Taxi rank

2128

2

52

70

9

8

11,114,7

1,1

27,4

36,8

4,7

4,2

Total 190 100,0

3.9.4 Water facilities

Eighty percent of the street food vendors have access to water near their outlets (table 3.9).

More than half (53,1 %) of the 160 who have access to water use water from taps located

outside toilets belonging to the private sector. Another 28,1 % use tap water outside toilets

belonging to the public sector.


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TABLE 3.9

ACCESS TO WATER AND SOURCE OF WATER

No %

Do you have access to water

YesNo

16040

80,020,0

Total 200 100,0

Source of water

Tap water private ownership

Tap water public ownership

Public toilet tap

Private toilet tap

Water tanker/carrier

Bring own water

85

45

13

8

4

5

53,1

28,1

8,1

5,0

2,5

3,1

Total 160 100,0

3.9.5 Hygiene of vendors

Most (60,5 %) of the vendors wear a full apron as protective clothing (table 3.10).

However, 29 or 14,0 % do not wear protective clothing. Only one third (34,5 %) wear a hair

covering. Most of the vendors (80,8 %) change their protective clothing daily.

TABLE 3.10

TYPE OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND FREQUENCY OF CHANGE

No %

Type of clothing

Full apron

Half apron

Overall

Hair covering

None

121

18

36

69

28

60,5

9,0

18,0

34,5

14,0

Frequency of changeEveryday

Two days

Three or four days

Weekly

Will not say

139

21

5

1

6

80,8

12,2

2,9

0,6

3,5

Total 172 100,0


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One hundred and ninety four or 97,0 % of the 200 vendors wash their hands after visiting

the toilet, mostly with running water (table 3.11).

TABLE 3.11

WASHING OF HANDS AFTER VISITING THE TOILET

No %

Do you wash your hands?

Yes

No

194

6

97,0

3,0

Total 200 100,0

Where do you wash your hands?

Running water

Separate container

182

12

93,8

6,2

Total 194 100,0

Table 3.12 shows the hygienic status of vendors as observed by the interviewer. The table

shows that there are some areas that can be improved. Ignorance may be the cause for

wearing jewellery and not washing hands and training can contribute to correct habits.

TABLE 3.12

HYGIENIC STATUS OF THE VENDORS

No %

Short/clean nails

Hands free of sores

Smoking while working with food

Coughing over food

Jewellery/bangles on the arms

Handling food and money without washing hands in between

199

197

2

1

64

82

99,5

98,5

1,0

0,5

32,0

41,0

3.9.6 Handling of utensils

The handling of utensils is shown in table 3.13. The table shows that 87,5 % of the vendors

use separate utensils for raw materials and cooked food, 86,0 % wash the utensils with the

preparation of a new batch of prepared food, 93,5 % use hot water and detergent to wash

the utensils, 89,5 % change the water at least three times per day and 98,0 % use a cloth to

dry the utensils after washing.


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TABLE 3.13

HANDLING OF UTENSILS

No %

Use separate utensils for raw materials and

cooked food 175 87,5Frequency of the washing of cooking utensils

Only at the end of the day

With preparation of each next batch

Only when I have time

24

172

4

12,0

86,0

2,0

Method of washing utensils

Hot water and detergent

Cold water and detergent

187

13

93,5

6,5

Frequency of changing washing up water

Once per day

Twice per day

Three times per day

8

13

179

4,0

6,5

89,5

Use drying cloths for utensils 196 98,0

3.9.7 Waste disposal

Table 3.14 shows the estimated distance of the street food outlet from the garbage dump.

Thirty five or 17,5 % of the vendors have a garbage dump within five meters of their outlets

while 31 or 15,5 % must walk for more than 100 meters to the nearest garbage dump.

TABLE 3.14

DISTANCE OF STREET FOOD OUTLET FROM THE GARBAGE DUMP

Distance in meters No %


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Table 3.15 reflects how vendors deal with rubbish disposal. More than one third throw

refuse in municipal bins (39,0 %) or leave it behind wrapped (36,0 %).

TABLE 3.15

DEALING WITH RUBBISH DISPOSAL

No* %

Leave behind unwrapped

Leave behind wrapped

Throw in municipal bins

Take to the garbage dump

Take rubbish home

3

72

78

55

4

1,5

36,0

39,0

27,5

2,0

Total 212 106,0

* Multiple responses

How vendors deal with waste water is shown in table 3.16. More than half (56,0 %) of the

vendors throw waste water into the storm drainage system. However, a considerable

percentage (41,5 %) that throw waste water on the pavement or road surface.

TABLE 3.16

DEALING WITH WASTE WATER

No %

Throw on the surface

Throw into storm water drainage

Throw into the toilet

Other

83

112

3

2

41,5

56,0

1,5

1,0

Total 200 100,0

3.9.8 Preparation of prepared food

Vendors were asked if they know anything about the education programme for informal

street traders (question 31 in annexure A). Relatively few (36 or 18,0 %) of the 200

answered in the affirmative. Question 29 in the questionnaire reads Do you know anything

about the ten golden rules for healthy food preparation? Again the minority (31,5 %)

responded positively.


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The source of raw materials used for the preparation of street food is shown in table 3.17.

Meat, chicken, maize meal and other ingredients are generally bought from retailers while

vegetables are more often bought from other street vendors (46,0%) or directly from the

market (19,5 %).

TABLE 3.17

SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS

No %

Meat Formal Retailers

Wholesale stores

Abattoir

Other meat suppliers

184

9

4

1

92,0

4,5

2,0

0,5

Chicken

Formal retailers Wholesale stores

Abattoir

Informal businesses

Other chicken suppliers

16811

10

3

2

84,05,5

5,0

1,5

1,0

Maize meal Wholesale stores

Retail stores

Other maize meal suppliers

31

151

1

15,5

75,5

0,5

Ingredients Retail stores

Wholesale stores

Street vendors

169

29

2

84,5

14,5

1,0Vegetables Other street vendors

Fruit and vegetable stores

Directly from market

Other vegetable suppliers

Directly from farms

92

49

39

4

3

46,0

24,5

19,5

2,0

1,5

Total 200 100,0

Most of the vendors buy the cooking oil that they use fresh from retailers (table 3.18).

TABLE 3.18

SOURCE OF COOKING OIL USED FOR PREPARING STREET FOOD

Kind of cooking oil used No %

Fresh from retailers

Fresh from wholesalers

Other

Second hand from traders

Second hand from restaurants

164

23

4

3

1

82,0

11,5

2,0

1,5

0,5

Total 200 100,0


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The method of transportation and cooling of raw materials is shown in table 3.19. Most of

the vendors (78,0 %) carry or use a trolley to transport raw materials. Only 10 or 5,0 % cool

the raw materials during transportation. Three of them use a cooler box with ice and another

three a refrigerator.

TABLE 3.19

MODE OF TRANSPORT AND COOLING OF RAW MATERIALS

No %

Mode of transport

Carry/trolley

Taxi/rent transport

Car/bakkie (own)

156

40

27

78,0

20,0

13,5

Total 223 111,5Vendors that cool raw material during

transportation 10 5,0

Method of cooling

Cooler box

Cooler box with ice

Refrigerator

Other

2

3

3

2

20,0

30,0

30,0

20,0

Total 10 100,0

The vast majority (80,5 %) of the vendors store cooked and uncooked food separately (see

question 24 in questionnaire annexure A). Almost all of them (98,5 %) keep cooked food

covered while on display for sale. More than half (53,0 %) the vendors use leftovers at

home (table 3.20). Another 18,5 % budget so that there are no leftovers while a further 13,0

% give their leftovers to other people.

TABLE 3.20

TREATMENT OF LEFTOVERS

No %

Throw away

Re-sale

Use at home

No left overs

Give to others

Will not say

12

4

106

37

26

15

6,0

2,0

53,0

18,5

13,0

7,5

Total 200 100,0


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3.9.9 Financial affairs of vendors

Vendors were asked how much money they needed to start their businesses (question 3 in

questionnaire annexure A). Table 3.21 shows that 38 or 19,0 % of the vendors managed

to start their business with as little as R100 or less but 25 or 12,5 % used more than R1 000

to start their businesses. The average of R1 403,46 is relatively high if compared with the

number of vendors who used more than R1 000 to start their businesses, the reason being

that eight respondents had spent from R10 000 to R30 000 to buy more sophisticated

equipment such as caravans from which they trade. The average start-up funds drop to

R619,91 if these eight are excluded.

TABLE 3.21

AMOUNT OF MONEY NEEDED FOR STARTING BUSINESS

No %

Less than R100

R101 R200

R201 R400

R401 R600

R601 R1 000

R1 001+

Do not know

38

33

33

38

19

25

14

19,0

16,5

16,5

19,0

9,5

12,5

7,0

Total 200 100,0

Average R1 403,46

Table 3.22 shows the main source of funds to start their businesses. Just more than half

(50,5 %) the vendors used their own savings while 41,0 % were assisted by or borrowed

from relatives or friends. Only one vendor was helped by the formal bank sector and only

one by an institution established especially to help small businesses.

TABLE 3.22

MAIN SOURCE OF START UP FUNDS

No %

Own savings

Assistance or borrowed from relatives or friends

Retrenchment package

No money needed/took over the business

Loan from private money lenders

Money from stokvel or other rotating credit group

Loan from bank

Loan or assistance from business association, NGO,

donor project, etc

Other

101

82

10

7

3

2

1

1

1

50,5

41,0

5,0

3,5

1,5

1,0

0,5

0,5

0,5


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Vendors were asked whether they had received any loan or credit from any source for

business purposes during the past twelve months. Those who answered in the affirmative

were asked to name the source (question 32 and 32.1 in the questionnaire annexure A).

Only nine or 4,5 % of the 200 received a loan or credit. Four received funds from relatives

or friends, three from stokvels and one each from a money lender and a bank.

Table 3.23 shows the main sources of income of the households of the vendors interviewed.

Only one vendor indicated that the income from the street food outlet forms a secondary

source of income for their household. Relatively few sources other than income from the

street food outlet were mentioned as sources of household income.

TABLE 3.23

THE MAIN SOURCES OF INCOME OF HOUSEHOLDS

Source of income No %

This business

Formal sector wage employment (other h/h

members) in private firm

Formal sector wage employment (other h/h

members) in public sector

Formal sector wage employment (respondent) in

private firm

Taxi transport

Formal sector wage employment (respondent) in

public sector

Non-agricultural business of other h/h members

Social assistance/pension/other benefits

199

10

7

5

6

3

3

1

99,5

5,0

3,5

2,5

3,0

1,5

1,5

0,5

Table 3.24 provides a frequency distribution of monthly average sales figures and input or

supply costs as well as the monthly averages for the two. More than half (105 or 52,0 %)

the vendors sales fall into the R1 501 to R3 000 (27,0 %) and R3 001 R5 000 (25,5 %)sales groups. The estimated average per vendor is R4 637,76. This income is well below

the income of R6 231,00 of other informal businesses as reported in a survey done in 1998

amongst 425 informal businesses in large urban and metropolitan areas country wide (BMR

Research Report no 251). Table 3.9.23 also shows the average input/supply cost as R3

068,75.


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TABLE 3.24

AVERAGE MONTHLY SALES AND INPUT/SUPPLY COSTS

Monthly amountSales Input/supply

No % No %

R1 R500R501 R1 000

R1 001 R1 500

R1 501 R3 000

R3 001 R5 000

R5 001 R10 000

R10 000 R15 000

R15 000 R25 000

Over R25 000

712

21

54

51

39

10

4

2

3,56,0

10,5

27,0

25,0

19,5

5,0

2,0

1,0

1118

24

88

38

16

1

3

1

5,59,0

12,0

44,0

19,0

8,0

0,5

1,5

0,5

Average amount R4 637,76 R3 068,75

3.10 RESULTS OF THE CUSTOMER SURVEY

Eight hundred customers, 184 of which were in Pretoria-Shoshaguve, 200 in the East Rand

improving street foods

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