By Jonathan Paoli
Gauteng finance MEC Lebogang Maile has added his voice to calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a state of emergency, following an increase in children passing away after eating food from spaza shops.
Maile visited Alexandra following the tragic death of 10-year-old Lesedi Maaboi and proposed that a state of emergency may be necessary to address the rising number of fatalities.
“We need drastic measures and not just words or reactions after incidents like this. The food is manufactured somewhere, we have to look at the whole value chain,” he said om Monday.
Maaboi’s death, reportedly after consuming contaminated chips from a local spaza shop, has intensified public outrage and drawn calls for drastic government intervention.
She is seventh pupil to die in the province.
Maile described the situation as a crime against humanity and urged the president to act swiftly to shut down establishments selling unsafe products.
The spate of incidents, which has affected multiple provinces, has sparked widespread concern, particularly among parents and community leaders.
Acting government spokesperson Nomonde Mnukwa confirmed that food safety investigations were underway in multiple provinces, including Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
These investigations are being led by a coordinated team of officials from various departments, including the National Consumer Commission, the South African Police Service, the Agriculture Department, and the environmental directorate of the national Department of Health.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases is supervising the efforts to ensure the investigations meet the highest standards.
“Government is deeply concerned by the number of cases reported and offers its heartfelt condolences to all affected families. We are determined to address the root causes of these outbreaks to prevent further loss of life,” Mnukwa said.
She emphasised the need for heightened public awareness and strict adherence to food safety regulations, and called on parents and guardians to be extra vigilant, especially when it came to the food their children consumed outside of school premises.
“We must ensure that the food we consume is safe and free from harmful substances. Simple practices such as washing hands thoroughly before handling food and storing food at safe temperatures can significantly reduce the risk of illness,” she said.
Mnukwa stressed the prohibition of unregistered pesticides, which were sometimes used in the informal food industry to control pests.
She said the use of banned pesticides, such as aldicarb (carbamate) and Terbufos (organophosphates), has been strictly outlawed, and those found in possession of such substances would face severe penalties.
As investigations continue into the cause of the outbreaks and the chain of events leading to these deaths, Mnukwa called on the public to refrain from taking matters into their own hands and instead work through proper channels to ensure community safety.
She said members of the public should report any business that violates food safety regulation to the nearest police station or via the MySAPS App.
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