KIMBERLEY, Northern Cape — A local crime prevention organization, Operation Fiela, carried out compliance raids on foreign-owned businesses across Kimberley this week, checking for undocumented individuals and adherence to municipal by-laws.
Thabiso Louw, spokesperson for Operation Fiela, stated the organization has been conducting similar inspections for three years, focusing on food safety and business registration compliance. During the latest operation, inspectors reportedly discovered expired and rotten food items at a wholesale supermarket that supplies smaller retail outlets.
“The shops are selling rotten food to our people,” Louw said. “We have been bringing this to the attention of officials, but instead of working with us, many give us an attitude until the issue becomes national—and then they start to act.”
The raids come amid heightened public concern over product safety in informal retail spaces, following incidents last year where children allegedly fell ill or died after consuming goods from unregulated spaza shops. Business owners were subsequently required to register and comply with health regulations, though enforcement reportedly lapsed.
Louw raised concerns about what he described as inconsistent responses from law enforcement during the operation. According to the spokesperson, police did not intervene when Operation Fiela visited businesses owned by Bangladeshi, Ethiopian, Somali, or Nigerian nationals in previous raids. However, when the group approached a Chinese-owned establishment during this operation, multiple police vans arrived and officers instructed them to halt their activities.
“We were surprised,” Louw said. “High-ranking officials came to block us. The law enforcement, immigration, and municipality were all part of a meeting yesterday where we outlined today’s plan. Yet no representatives from those agencies were present during the raid.”
Louw referenced a specific incident involving a colonel who, he claims, previously threatened to arrest him when Operation Fiela attempted to inspect a building in Kimberley’s CBD. That same officer, he alleged, was present during this week’s operation and again moved to stop the group.
“We want to know: who are they protecting?” Louw asked. “Are they protecting the citizens of this country, or those doing wrong? Why is it acceptable when we visit some nationalities, but a problem when we visit others?”
Operation Fiela reportedly reduced its planned deployment from 60 participants to ensure a peaceful operation, after rumors of a “shutdown” circulated. Louw emphasized that the group had corrected misinformation and communicated their intentions clearly to authorities in advance.
Beyond food safety, Louw highlighted growing concerns about drug trafficking in Kimberley, alleging that certain buildings in the city center remain untouched by authorities despite suspected illicit activity. “The drugs business is growing more than any business in Kimberley,” he said. “But no one wants to take it on.”
During the raid, several undocumented foreign nationals reportedly fled the premises. Confiscated items included expired food products deemed unfit for sale.
Operation Fiela has called for greater transparency and consistent enforcement from local law enforcement and municipal agencies, urging officials to clarify the reasons behind selective intervention during compliance operations.
