Howe two-minute noodles. Picture: Twitter
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has launched an investigation into the supplier of Howe Instant Noodles, Grandisync CC, based in Kariega in the Eastern Cape.
Back in November, five children died after allegedly consuming Howe two-minute noodles. Another three children from Eastern Cape complained about stomach cramps and nausea soon after.
Detectives in Motherwell, Eastern Cape, opened an inquest after the deaths of three children – an 11-year-old girl, a seven-year-old girl and a four-month-old baby boy.
A week later, two children from Mpumalanga – a nine-year-old girl and her 13-year-old brother – died within an hour of each other after eating instant noodles.
A preliminary investigation was launched to obtain more information related to the deaths, such as the supplier or manufacturer, and stores where the noodles were purchased.
A team of environmental health experts collected all other items related to the suspected food products and sent the samples to a laboratory for testing.
On Thursday, the NCC’s Thezi Mabuza said they had “reasonable suspicion to believe Grandisync CC […] goods posed a potential risk to the public”.
Mabuza said this information was based on the information provided to the NCC by other regulators and the supplier, and the commission is now awaiting laboratory results.
The NCC hopes the investigation will shed light on “the nature, causes, extent and degree of the risk to the public”, and will release the findings in due course.
If Grandisnyc CC is found to be in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), the NCC “will refer the matter to the National Consumer Tribunal”, Mabuza said.
If found to be in the wrong, Grandisnyc CC could be fined 10% of their total annual turnover or R1,000,000, “whichever is the greater”, Mabuza added.
Mabuza has called on consumers to practise good food hygiene and to report any potential health risks.
“As regulators in the food safety environment, we will get to the bottom of this matter to ensure that those liable are held accountable.
“Suppliers are obligated to protect consumers. Where there are potential hazards, suppliers are required to inform the relevant regulators and consumers.”
Back in November, the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) warned against “casting any aspersions of maliciousness” which have “no basis in fact”. The SAHRC said:
“Suggestions that the tragic deaths […] in two different provinces are the result of revenge by foreign nationals are irresponsible and have no basis in fact.”
In addition, the SAHRC called on South Africans to “remain vigilant against the irresponsible spread of any messages which attempt to link the deaths to any alleged revenge plot”.
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