A 75-year-old woman from Mpumalanga, South Africa, has handed herself over to the Hawks for her alleged role in repacking and selling rotten, expired food to unsuspecting members of the public.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Magonseni Nkosi confirmed that Wilhemina Jacoba and another suspect, 36-year-old Phakamani Hlongwane, surrendered to the Hawks’ Secunda-based serious organised crime investigation unit on Monday.
The pair were linked to Pieter Grobler, 31, and his family members Mark Lombard, 29, and Sonnet Lombard, 46, who were arrested in February for allegedly distributing expired food for human consumption. Jacoba is related to Grobler, Nkosi said.
“The five accused are charged for contravention of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act, corruption, fraud, and money laundering. Rotten and expired foodstuff that was not fit for human consumption was disposed of,” Nkosi explained.
During Grobler’s arrest, authorities seized vehicles and cool rooms used in the operation. Grobler, a pig farmer, allegedly obtained expired food from retailers under the pretense of feeding it to his pigs, but instead repackaged and sold it.
When reporters visited the farm, they found a truck filled with mouldy cheese and a warehouse reeking of decay, with floors littered with plastic wrappings, flour, and yoghurt.
An employee described the scheme as a family business: “When I got here years ago, I found them doing the very same thing I am doing, repacking and selling these kinds of [expired] foods. He took over the business from his father.”
The Hawks believe Grobler sourced food rejected by health inspectors from major retail warehouses.
Mpumalanga Hawks head Major-General Nico Gerber vowed the investigation would continue until all those involved are prosecuted: “We will ensure all those behind these inhumane activities are brought to book.”
