There has been an alarming rise in food poisoning cases in Gauteng, yet there seems to be little action from provincial and local departments. Yesterday we learned of another incident involving 47 learners from Rapelego Primary School in New Eersterust in Hammanskraal. This highlights the crucial need for immediate action.
It is reported that learners between the ages of 9 to 14, required medical attention after consuming allegedly expired chocolates, which resulted in severe digestive problems and breathing difficulties. We are pleased to learn that most learners have been discharged from the hospital, while several remain under medical supervision.
We wish all learners a speedy recovery considering that Gauteng has seen up to 12 learners pass away in 2024 from alleged food poisonings linked to similar cases involving food purchased from spaza shops. The DA remains committed to advocating for coordinated enhanced safety regulations in food handling and sales.
In 2023, alarming events included a serious outbreak at Pulamadibogo Primary School, where 90 students became ill, and a recent incident affecting 70 students across three schools in Carletonville. The Gauteng Health Department has documented a total of 203 food poisoning cases between February 2024 and September 2024, resulting in six fatalities within that period. This situation calls for a coordinated response from provincial health authorities and local health authorities to ensure the safety of the food consumed by our children.
The critical shortage of health inspectors in Johannesburg worsens this crisis. In a recent oversight of local spaza shops in Soweto, it was revealed that there are 16 inspectors assigned to oversee 19 wards in Region D1 Soweto. This is considerably lower than the global health standards of having one inspector per 10,000 people. This deficiency jeopardises the safety of our children and secure communities.
To effectively tackle these challenges, we need to implement a comprehensive strategy that encompasses:
Immediate coordination between provincial and local authorities to ensure that all relevant departments are on board to commence enforcement.
Immediate inspections of spaza shops and food vendors, particularly those close to schools and selling to children.
Immediate action to ensure that spaza shops have the necessary compliance certificates and that all establishments selling food and drinks sell items that are free from contamination and not expired.
While MEC Matome Chiloane’s comments that councillors should commence audits in their wards are noted, the role of inspections and compliance resides with the relevant authorities and officials tasked with such. Councillors across the province can attest that very little is done regarding these establishments when reporting to the relevant departments, be it the health department, building control, town planning, or law enforcement, which exacerbates the proliferation of these establishments without consequences.
We have a collective responsibility to ensure that all our children are safe and that our communities are secure. The health and well-being of our learners must be our top priority. By taking decisive action now, we can mitigate further incidents of food poisoning in Gauteng’s schools and communities.