Since September, there’s been 890 reported cases of food-borne illnesses across all provinces. In the same period, 22 children lost their lives, allegedly due to food poisoning.

Food-borne illnesses have since been declared a national disaster, with a government interdisciplinary task team responsible for the national response.

Speaking at a media briefing on 21 November, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosi Hlabisa, outlined the action plan.

The Department of Health will give urgent attention to the issue of the shortage of environmental health inspectors, and is appointing health experts to serve on the Ministerial Advisory Committee. 

The Department of Basic Education has issued a circular to all provincial education departments and schools on best practice protocols for preventing and managing foodborne illnesses within schools. 

Spaza shops not linked to deaths

Terbufos, an agricultural pesticide, was linked to the deaths of six Soweto children in October. Eighty four spaza shops were inspected, with terbufos found in three. 

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said the three spaza shops where terbufos was found will only face closure and not be subjected to legal action. 

“Swabs were taken from the counter, food areas, behind the fridge and places where food is stored. The fact is terbufos was found in some of the shops but we are not able to link it directly to the death of the children. This simply means that we may close the shops but we may not charge them,” he explained. 

He added that legal action can only be taken when police or detectives can ascertain that one of the dead children bought food in one of the shops that tested positive for terbufos.

“For now we cannot prove anything and taking action by going to the court of law might not hold. The detectives are still investigating,” he said. 

Motsoaledi emphasised that terbufos is available at multiple places, including taxi ranks and street vendors, and is not only present at spaza shops.

Parents left with questions after pesticide-linked deaths of children in Naledi 

Terbufos suspected to be illegally imported

In the coming days, the Department of Agriculture will conduct inspections at all five active registered manufacturers of terbufos to ascertain controls and determine whether locally produced products are clearly marked. 

Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said the terbufos found in three spaza shops is not made by local manufacturers. 

“If one looks at the pictures of what has been found in spaza shops, it differs quite significantly from the colour and texture of locally produced terbufos. This heightened the suspicion that terbufos is coming in from a neighbouring country and we will determine which one it is,” he said. –Health-e News