A 10-year-old girl from Alexandra in Johannesburg died at the weekend from what the Gauteng health department called “a foodborne illness". (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
A 10-year-old girl from Alexandra in Johannesburg died at the weekend from what the Gauteng health department called “a foodborne illness”, adding to concerns about a spate of children’s deaths from contaminated food across the province.
The child was rushed to Alexandra Community Health Centre emergency unit on Saturday night where she died. Her mother and four-year-old brother were also admitted to hospital after tasting the snacks and are recovering, the Gauteng department of health said in a statement.
“Further reports are awaited on the cause of the sudden illness and death,” it said, noting with concern the rising incidents of “foodborne illnesses, particularly those affecting children”.
“The department is working closely with multiple stakeholders and the municipalities to heighten awareness in townships, informal settlements, and hostel communities. We continue to urge the public to exercise caution when purchasing and consuming food items.”
The provincial department urged the public to buy food from reputable sellers with valid permits to operate, avoid consuming products past its expiry date and ensure that food packaging is intact. It said shops should adhere to the conditions of their permits, including compliance with environmental health regulations.
Gauteng’s MEC for economic development and finance, Lebogang Maile, on Monday visited the family of the deceased girl, and his department was investigating the matter.
The latest death comes after that of six children in Naledi, Soweto last month, allegedly after consuming food from a local spaza shop.
The national health department said a chemical called organophosphate was found in their bodies but authorities were yet to determine its source. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi pointed out during a media briefing that police found a packet of chips in the pocket of one of the deceased boys, but there were no traces of organophosphate in the food.
On Monday, national health spokesperson Foster Mohale told the Mail & Guardian that the results from samples and swabs taken from spaza shops in Naledi would establish whether there was a direct link between the deaths of the six children and would be announced once received from the National Health Laboratory Services.
He said shops in the area had been closed for a number of reasons “including through prohibition notices for lack of compliance with relevant regulations and due to community protests”.
Mohale said municipalities, the police, as well as the departments of agriculture and small business would intensify inspections at spaza shops.
The Gauteng health department also confirmed that after conducting inspections last Friday, the City of Ekurhuleni had uncovered “serious violations at local spaza shops resulting in the issuing of a fine and another establishment being immediately shut down”.
“Another establishment was found to operate illegally on municipal land with shop owners sleeping in the shop compromising the hygiene standard,” it said. Authorities closed the shop, and confiscated unlabelled and expired food products.
Since January 2024, Gauteng has had more than 372 cases of food-related illnesses and 16 fatalities, according to the provincial health department of health.