The sweet smell of stadium food
Ndaba Dlamini
25 June 2004
As kick-off time draws nearer, the blast of the vuvuzelas becomes more strident, the battle cries and songs of soccer fans resplendent in their miners' helmets or "makarapas" more intense - and food is far from spectators' minds.
But vendors outside Johannesburg's FNB Stadium know that soon that will all change.
Now, it's 6.30pm and the supporters - some still in their working gear - are anxious to get into the stadium before their favourite seats are taken.
For the fans, blowing a vuvuzela, shouting instructions and abuse at soccer players, singing and dancing for two hours burns a lot of energy - and Malifu Makhanya of Dobsonville Extension 3, a food vendor operating outside the stadium, is one of those who provides an essential service.
Makhanya says she has been running her food stall for "a long time". She prepares pap, rice, "idombolo" (dumplings) and soup at home and braais chicken and beef on a gas stove at the stadium
because "the tantalising smell of braaiing meat drives hungry supporters mad and entices them to sample my cuisine".
A trestle table operates as her workplace. The table is covered with newspapers, which serve as a tablecloth to make cleaning up easier. "I just throw them into a dustbin when they get stained", Makhanya explains.
Makhanya also offers a variety of salads - from potato to carrot and green peas and beetroot, which she prepares at home and packages in plastic containers.
A plate of food goes for R20 and is served on disposable paper plates, with a plastic spoon on the side without serviettes. A wet cloth is available on request to wipe sticky hands.
Asked about hygiene, Makhanya proudly says she has a certificate of acceptability - a licence to sell food at the stadium - which was awarded to her by the management of FNB stadium.
"We were put through a course on food hygiene where we were taught how to clean work surfaces and how to keep
utensils clean. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring along my certificate to show you," she says.
Vendors found operating without such a licence are fined between R200 and R1 500, and a lost certificate incurs a fine of R1 000, according to Makhanya.
At the end of May, vendors operating in and around the stadium were put through a one-day course on the importance of hygiene in providing food for the public.
The course, run by Johannesburg's environmental affairs department and FNB Stadium management, was aimed at upgrading skills ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. FNB Stadium is one of the main venues for the event - it will host both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Dennis Mumble, manager of FNB Stadium, said the vendors were taught "the basics of food preparation and the importance of hygiene when serving food, and how to handle their customers".
They covered topics such as measures to take when storing food at room temperature, and how to handle
and braai meat in open areas to ensure that food is not contaminated.
"The courses are part of the preparations for 2010", Mumble said. "Everything has to meet international standards."
Environmental health officer for Johannesburg's Region 9, Douglas Wood, conducted the course as part of the environmental affairs department's efforts to implement "basic health and hygiene education" among the city's food vendors. More than 140 vendors have gone through the course over the past three months.
"Food vendors must comply with City health regulations, and the courses we are conducting free of charge will go a long way to minimising the risks of food poisoning", Wood said.
The food vendors work together: one person brings a gas stove for cooking chicken, while another will use his or her gas braai for cooking beef. "Some people don't eat chicken and some don't take beef. That is why we braai them separately, and it saves us the labour of bringing two braai
stoves", says Ouma Radebe, a vendor who operates outside the stadium.
If one person runs out of gas, the other team members provide back-up. "Most of us bring along two extra gas cylinders just in case", Radebe adds.
Vendors selling outside the stadium don't pay rent for their patch, while those inside the stadium pay R200 a match.
On a good day, especially when big teams like Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are playing, Radebe says she has to spend as much as R1 000 on stock.
Vendors move from stadium to stadium to sell their foodstuff - depending on where the big matches are being played. "Last week, I was in Bloemfontein for the South Africa-Cape Verde match", Radebe says. "In order to survive, we have to follow big matches around."
Evening matches, which normally kick off at 7.30pm, present problems to the food sellers outside the stadium. "We live in fear of being mugged", Radebe says. "And getting transport home is also a problem because
there are very few people willing to transport us and our goods at night."
At present there are no covered stalls for the vendors. According to an FNB Stadium spokesperson, the provision of covered stalls will depend on the upgrade plans. She said food vendors operating outside the stadium will be provided with covered stalls, but those inside the stadium will be provided with covered kiosks.
For soccer fans like Themba Ngwenya from Mofolo, a match without the services of food vendors is unthinkable. "I wouldn't survive the 90 minutes without taking a break at half-time to fill my stomach."
Source: City of Johannesburg
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