President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the nation on Friday evening. (GCIS/Supplied) President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Friday evening, highlighting measures by the government to address the foodborne illness crisis, including the closure of spaza shops implicated in the deaths of children. Fellow South Africans, I wish to address you this evening on a matter that has deeply saddened and distressed our nation.
Across the country, there has been a rise in reported cases of foodborne illnesses and deaths. A number of people are becoming severely ill and even dying after eating contaminated food. It has been found that some of the food items would have been purchased from spaza shops and street vendors.
Since the beginning of September 2024, there have been a total of 890 reported incidents of foodborne illnesses across all provinces. Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal have been the most affected, with Limpopo, Free State and Mpumalanga also recording dozens of incidents. Over the last few weeks alone, foodborne illnesses have claimed the lives of at least 22 of our nation's children.
Last month there was a major foodborne incident in Naledi in Soweto in which six children died. The youngest of these children was just six years old. Few words can adequately convey our sadness and our pain as a nation.
Our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they go through the pain and the anguish of losing their children. Losing a child is something no parent should ever have to.