Children die after eating alleged poisoned snacks from spaza shop
The children’s health, it is alleged, deteriorated after eating the goods which resulted in the shocking scene.
The community of Naledi in Soweto woke up to devastating news after they heard that two boys, aged five and six, passed away on Sunday, October 1. Another child died later in the hospital, bringing the total number of deaths to three.
It is alleged they ate biscuits and juice purchased from a foreign-owned spaza shop in the area.
“One other grade one female pupil from Ikemeleng Primary School is currently in critical condition and is receiving medical care at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital after allegedly eating the snacks from the same spaza shop,” said the Gauteng Department of Education’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona.
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The children’s health, it is alleged, deteriorated after eating the goods which resulted in the shocking scene.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the families that have lost their little ones and wish a speedy recovery to those still receiving medical care. The tragic incident is another painful reminder that we must do more to ensure greater public awareness and increase the level of alertness when it comes to the foodstuffs communities are exposed to,” remarked Gauteng MEC for health and wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.
She called on all spheres of government to work together to enforce compliance with the relevant laws. This incident has infuriated the community and now they are calling for foreign-owned spaza shops to shut. Parents need to be extra vigilant of what their children consume and safeguard their well-being.
“This incident serves as a grave reminder to parents and guardians to exercise utmost caution when it comes to the safety and well-being of our pupils. We must remain vigilant and ensure that our children are not exposed to harmful substances. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate this matter thoroughly. We wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the affected families and wish the two hospitalised pupils a speedy recovery,” said MEC Chiloane.
On Wednesday, October 4, another case of food poisoning was reported where four boys, aged two, three, four, and six from the West Rand district allegedly consumed sweets and chips from a vendor at West Deep in Westonaria.
Sadly this resulted in two of the boys (aged two and three) being declared dead upon arrival at the Bekkersdal West Community Health Centre.
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The other two boys (aged four and six) have since been transferred to Leratong Hospital for observation and further management- they are both in stable condition.
Outbreak response teams in both Johannesburg and West Rand districts continue to be on the ground in Naledi and West Deep and surrounding areas, engaging locals and conducting health education. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding both incidents.
