Two owners of Gubta Meats in Mfuleni in the Western Cape together with four of their employees made their first appearance in court on Friday.
This follows a raid by the City of Cape Town and police following a tip-off which revealed sausages being prepared in unsanitary conditions.
The City said the butchery was immediately closed and the workers detained.
The place was also declared a crime scene.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Western Cape confirmed that the six accused, one of whom is a minor, appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court.
The owners Abdi Kadiye, 34, and Mohammed Ali Ahmed, 36, both Somali nationals, are charged with contravention of the Food Stuff and Cosmetics Act 54 of 1972.
“Which is the illegal production and operation of a butchery producing meat products without the legal certificate to do so,” explained NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
He said accused are also charged with employing illegal foreigners in contravention of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.
The other four accused are Kondwani Mwezhande, 29, Smart Chipod, 25, both Malawian nationals and Abduaallah Abdinour, a Somalian national and a minor who cannot be named.
The four faces charges of contravention of the Immigration Act, which is being in the country illegally without the necessary papers.
“They are also charged with illegal production and operation of a producing meat products without the legal certificate to do so.”
Ntabazalila said the matter was adjourned to Monday for a Somalian interpreter to be present in court. The five men were remanded in police custody.
“The minor has been released into the custody of a guardian.”
Earlier on Friday, The City of Cape Town urged people to stop sharing misinformation that dog food was used to make the sausages.
They confirmed that the meat was sent for testing and that no dog food was found at the scene.
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