Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has urged law enforcement officials to speed up the investigation to ascertain the cause of the death of five Naledi children.
Speaking at a mass funeral service of the children who died of suspected food poisoning this past weekend, Lesufi said:
“We have asked all the law enforcement agencies to not be narrow in their investigations. The investigation must go beyond the boundaries of Naledi.”
He added that it must be found where the products were manufactured.
ALSO READ: Shops busted for non-compliance after Naledi tragedy
Monica Sathekge, Zinhle Maama, Njabulo Msimango, Isago Mabote and Karabo Rampou passed away on October 6 after they allegedly ate snacks bought from a local foreign-owned spaza shop.
Their mass funeral service was held at the Naledi community hall and was attended by the premier, MECs, representatives of various political parties and the community at large.
The death of the minors left a scar, not only in their families but also in the community which had not healed from the death of two children last year, also of suspected food poisoning.
Emotional scenes played out when learners from the schools attended by the deceased paid tribute to their peers during a memorial service on Friday last week.
Speakers emphasised the importance of going back to religious practices and bringing God back to schools.
“I feel like there is something wrong with Naledi. Last year in October we buried children who died the same way and here we are today grieving the loss of life.
“We need to bring back prayer to our schools and make sure that as parents and the community at large, we protect our children,” said Busi Mnguni-Msimango, a representative of one of the grieving families.
ALSO READ: Community left devastated at the memorial service of five Naledi children
Njabulo Msimango’s Grade One teacher at Karabo Primary School said it still hurts to realise that he is no more.
Dimakatso Mkhize, who was Zinhle Maama’s teacher, described her as a child who had a beautiful soul and always greeted her with a beautiful smile every time she entered class.
“Zinhle was an achiever who enjoyed learning more than anything else. She interacted well with other learners and it was also easy to reprimand her because she was not a disrespectful child,” said Mkhize.
Families of the deceased are yet to come to terms with their loss as authorities investigate the cause of the deaths. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said young lives were cut short by a preventable tragedy, and something which should not happen again.
“As we grieve, we must confront the stark reality that it is not an isolated incident. This is a recurring nightmare,” said Chiloane.
He added that it is time to demand accountability and ensure that such incidents don’t happen again.
