Ramaphosa slams ‘unscrupulous’ spaza shop owners amid food poisoning crisis

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured the nation that the government is taking immediate action to address the tragic deaths of school children caused by suspected food poisoning and other foodborne illnesses, with the matter being handled at the “highest levels of government”.

Ramaphosa was speaking at a presidential imbizo in Umgababa, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Friday.

He attributed these incidents to “reckless, negligent and unscrupulous spaza shops” who keep hazardous chemicals within range of their food products.

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

He also highlighted that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa had his hands on deck for the issue, with the proclamation of regulating spaza shop’s licensing having already been approved.

Ramaphosa: Government addressing food poisoning crisis

According to Ramaphosa, his Cabinet ministers were looking at the issue wholistically from health, agriculture, and policing perspectives.

The president stressed that they were working tirelessly to resolve these alarming cases of food poisoning which he described as a national crisis.

“We are working round the clock to enable us to look very closely at the incidents that have been happening,” he said promising to give a full address regarding the incidents in the coming week.

READ MORE: Food poisonings: Renting out your garage for a spaza shop? You are also responsible – Gauteng Acting Premier

Ramaphosa indicated that he had directed various departments and agencies to report to him urgently.

“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,” he added.

The president also urged parents to exercise vigilance.

“Let us take care and ensure that our children only get food from places that we regard as safe places,” he said and asked the imbizo attendees to pay their respects to the deceased children.

Watch the presidential imbizo below:

Spaza shop food sales suspended

More 10 children have died and others fell ill across the country in the past few weeks, after allegedly eating contaminated snacks from spaza shops.

While Ramaphosa addressed the issue of spaza shops, some pupils have gotten sick suspectedly from consuming feeding scheme meals at school recently.

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

Provincial department spokesperson Steve Mabona shared his concerns of how these incidents have led to both loss of life and illness among pupils.

“In response, we are implementing immediate measures to safeguard the health and well-being of our learners. Schools and SGBs are instructed to closely monitor and regulate vendors, tuckshops, and other outlets that sell food to learners,” he said.

Parents were asked to prepare food for their children at home in the interim.

NOW READ: The tuckshop is closed: Gauteng education suspends all food sales in and near schools