A 10-year-old girl from Alexandra, Johannesburg, died over the weekend from what the Gauteng Department of Health called “food poisoning.” (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
A 10-year-old girl from Alexandra, Johannesburg, died over the weekend from what the Gauteng Department of Health called “food poisoning,” raising concerns about a spate of child deaths from contaminated food across the province. .
The child was taken to the emergency unit at Alexandra Community Health Center on Saturday night, where she died. Her mother and four-year-old brother were also hospitalized after tasting the snack and are recovering, the Gauteng Department of Health said.
“Further reports on the causes of sudden illness and death are awaited,” the report said, noting a worrying increase in “foodborne illnesses, particularly those affecting children.”
“The Ministry is working closely with multiple stakeholders and local governments to raise awareness in townships, informal settlements and hostel communities. We urge you to continue to be careful.”
State officials urged the public to buy food from reputable vendors with valid business licenses, avoid consuming products past their expiration dates, and ensure that food packaging is intact. The report said stores must comply with the conditions of the permit, including compliance with environmental health regulations.
Gauteng MEC for Economic Development and Finance Lebogang Maile visited the deceased girl's family on Monday and his department was investigating the matter.
The latest deaths come after six children died in Naledi, Soweto last month after allegedly eating food from a local spaza restaurant.
The National Health Agency said chemicals called organophosphates were detected in their bodies, but authorities have not yet determined the source. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi noted in a media briefing that police found a packet of crisps in the pocket of one of the deceased boys, but there were no traces of organophosphates in the food.
On Monday, national health spokesperson Foster Mohale said: email and guardian Results from samples and swabs taken from Naledi's spaza shop will determine if there is a direct link to the deaths of the six children, which will be announced once a report is received from the National Health Inspectorate.
He said stores in the area were closed for a variety of reasons, including “prohibition notices due to non-compliance with relevant regulations and protests by local residents.”
Mohale said local governments, police, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Small and Medium Enterprises would step up inspections of spaza stores.
The Gauteng Department of Health also said that after carrying out an inspection last Friday, the Municipality of Ekurhuleni “discovered serious violations at a local spaza store, resulting in the imposition of a fine and the immediate closure of another store.” I confirmed that.
“It was discovered that another facility was operating illegally on city-owned land, with the owner sleeping inside the facility and compromising hygiene standards,” the statement said. Authorities closed stores and seized unlabeled and expired food.
There have been more than 372 food-related illnesses and 16 deaths in Gauteng since January 2024, according to the provincial health department.
