Almost 900 foodborne disease incidents have been recorded, and 22 children have died across South Africa since September. President Cyril Ramaphosa said there had been 890 reported incidents of foodborne illness across all provinces since the beginning of September. Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal have been the most affected, with Limpopo, Free State, and Mpumalanga recording dozens of incidents.
Six children died in October after being poisoned in Naledi, Soweto. The deaths were attributed to a hazardous chemical used as a pesticide. Terbufos is an organophosphate registered in South Africa for agricultural use but cannot be sold to general households.
However, it is being sold for domestic use in townships and informal settlements to control rats. A chip packet found on one of the children who died had traces of Terbufos on the inside and outside of the pack. Ramaphosa speaks to South Africans .
In an address to the nation, Ramaphosa said there has been a rise in cases of foodborne illness and deaths across the country. “Several 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,” he said.
“Few words can adequately convey our sadness and pain as a nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they go through the pain and anguish of losing their children. The young children who died weren’t just children of their families.
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