Ramaphosa calls family meeting on food poisoning crisis

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called a family meeting to discuss government’s response to the recurring instances of food borne illnesses in the country.

Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation at about 7:30pm on Friday.

The presidency said Ramaphosa’s address will be streamed live.

Reckless and negligent

Ramaphosa’s address comes as the country battles a spate of deaths and hospital admissions linked to food poisoning.

On Wednesday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni during a Cabinet meeting highlighted the food poisoning crisis as a significant national concern.

Speaking at a presidential imbizo in Umgababa, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), last week, Ramaphosa attributed the poisonings to “reckless, negligent and unscrupulous spaza shops” who keep hazardous chemicals within range of their food products.

“The police have already arrested some people in this regard, and at a government level our departments are seized with this matter,” the Presidency said.

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Regulation

Ramaphosa said Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa had proclaimed the regulating of spaza shop’s licensing and Cabinet was looking at the issue from health, agriculture, and policing perspectives.

“We are working round the clock to enable us to look very closely at the incidents that have been happening.

“I will be able to then make a statement on how we are going to deal with this matter to enable us to ensure that no further children die needlessly in our country.”

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Gauteng food poisoning

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) last week instructed all schools to suspend the sale of food within and around school premises until further notice.

Gauteng has experienced a spate of deaths and hospital admissions linked to the consumption of food and snacks from spaza shops and vendors.

Over 20 children have died and dozens hospitalised over the last few months after allegedly consuming snacks at tuckshops across the country.

The incidents have closed school tuckshops in several parts of South Africa, and led to the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee to look into the crisis.

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