Grassroots Gastronomy: Exploring Food Safety Challenges Among Street Vendors in Rural South Africa
Ritshidze Nethengwe ORCID ↗ · Thanyani Madzivhandila ORCID ↗
Bussecon Review of Social Sciences · 2026 · Vol. / Issue · 35-48
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Abstract
Street food plays a vital role in the informal economies of many African countries, especially South Africa. However, evidence suggests that this food poses significant public health risks due to being prepared and sold under unsanitary conditions. This paper explored food safety challenges for street food vendors in Tshilamba, a rural township in Limpopo, South Africa, within the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) context. This paper used a triangulated method to collect data from primary and secondary sources. It collected primary data from 23 street vendors and insights from 4 key stakeholders. The results indicate that over 80% of street food vendors work in informal, high-traffic areas such as bus terminals and marketplaces that often lack basic sanitation and infrastructure. This situation reflects comparable challenges faced by countries within the SADC region, such as Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In these contexts, vendors operating under analogous conditions are often subjected to eviction because of non-compliance with food safety regulations. Despite existing initiatives, food control programs throughout various regions of Africa continue to exhibit significant weaknesses and require substantial reform. Thus, the paper recommended the incorporation of informal food vendors into established food safety frameworks, the enhancement of regulatory oversight, and the allocation of resources towards the development of infrastructure that facilitates hygienic food vending practices. These actions are vital for improving public health and supporting informal livelihoods.
Keywords: {'name': 'Street Food'}, {'name': 'Food Safety'}, {'name': 'Informal Economy'}, {'name': 'Southern African Development Community (SDAC)'}, {'name': 'Street Food Vendors'}
Authors & affiliations
Ritshidze Nethengwe
Affiliation not supplied
Thanyani Madzivhandila
Affiliation not supplied
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