Confusion over who should employ health inspectors

South Africa has a shortage of public health inspectors, according to officials, but it is not clear who should employ them.

- Masoka Dube

Public health inspectors' roles are vital as their job includes the enforcement of health, safety and sanitation regulations to protect the public.

They play a vital role in protecting the public against food-borne diseases such as food poisoning incidents that engulfed the country last year and claimed the lives of 22 children, leaving hundreds hospitalised.

Recently, a group of unemployed health inspectors accused government of failing to fulfil its promise to employ more than 500 of them.

After the foodborne disease outbreak was declared a national disaster last year, government said Treasury would allocate more than R200 million for the employment of inspectors.

Department of health spokesperson Foster Mohale admitted there was a shortage, but said it was the responsibility of municipalities to hire them.