Food poisoning is a crisis

Stomach cramps, numbness, headaches and even death have been the results of eating allegedly expired food and snacks from spaza shops and “space muffins” in schools, as food poisoning of children and pupils continues to increase.

In October, there were many cases concerning alleged food poisoning in schools and communities. Two Grade 1 pupils aged five and six from Khauhelo Primary School and Karabo Primary School in Soweto died after allegedly consuming poisonous biscuits and juice purchased from a foreign-owned spaza shop.

ALSO READ: Over 120 Eastern Cape pupils hospitalised after alleged food poisoning

Then it was reported that 90 pupils from Pulamadibogo Primary School in Soshanguve, Gauteng were ill in hospital after allegedly eating “space cookies” bought from three men outside the school. In another case, a Grade 3 pupil from Tshepisong in Roodepoort died after allegedly eating biscuits bought from a local spaza shop.

Soon after, 89 female pupils from various schools in Boipatong in Gauteng were rushed to hospital due to a suspected case of mass food poisoning. This is an ongoing problem. In 2021, two siblings from Mpumalanga died after sharing a packet of noodles bought from a spaza shop. It has become a very complex and sensitive topic.

ALSO READ: Alleged food poisoning strikes Roodepoort school, claims life of Grade 3 pupil

Which stores are the problem?

Many say the shops owned by Ethiopian and Pakistan nationals allegedly selling expired food must be closed, while others are encouraging parents to forbid their children from buying from these stores. I fully agree there should be more awareness, but it’s easy to say that when you are on the outside of the situation.

Especially in township communities where most of these cases happen. I can imagine how tricky it would be having to convince your four-, five- or six-year-old not to go to their local store to buy sweets or snacks. We’re talking about kids here. A child in the township who is given only R4 or R6 will go to these stores and spoil themselves with all the goodies they want. For many children, buying at these stores is all they know and all they can afford.

ALSO READ: Two Free State kids die after allegedly eating snacks from a spaza shop

What I did

I grew up in that space where I used to buy sweets, snacks and everything I wanted at general dealer stores. The only difference was that the stores were South African-owned and were legal businesses. But things have changed now in many townships. So, the people doing our kids dirty are the owners who bypass regulations and standards and sell expired food.

There’s also a lot of questions about how these foreign nationals end up owning stores and businesses in SA and who supplies these goods. But owners not complying with standards and regulations is what is really problematic. There are new cases now on this almost every day and nothing is done. There haven’t been any updates from authorities on how they plan to handle this problem, no talks on any mitigation strategies, or alternative solutions.

ALSO READ: ANC plans campaign against spaza shops run by undocumented foreign nationals

Having health inspectors in schools is supposed to be the set mandate. These health officials check on the safety and security of pupils, which includes who is selling food around school parameters and what are they selling. Health inspectors in communities should also check all these shops and food businesses in operation.

Must there be more deaths before government finally decides to do something? Or perhaps we should face the bitter truth that they have no plan – a reality we are very used to.

WATCH: Police crack down on Illicit goods in spaza shops, 18 foreign nationals nabbed