Spaza shop. Picture: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
Nosipho Mkhize, a KwaMashu mother has cautioned parents to be on the lookout for where their children by their snacks from.
Mkhize’s daughter recently found a pill in a packet of chips that she had bought from a spaza shop in the area on her way home from school. She was with a school friend.
“We are all aware of what has been happening. She told me that they usually open the snacks and share them. When they opened the packet they found a pill in it,” she said.
Mkhize said she went to the police with the packet of chips and showed the pill to them.
She said they could not open a case because they did not know what charge it would be.
“The detective took the pill and said they would have it tested and results would come back after three months,” she added.
Mkhize said she was worried for children because some have died after consuming snacks bought from spaza shops in various places around the country.
“Parents must be careful and educate their children because this can happen to anyone,” she said.
She came forward after 22 children from different provinces died after eating contaminated snacks and food products.
So far there has been 890 cases of food-borne illnesses that have been reported with Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Free State, and Mpumalanga the hardest hit.
Last month in Naledi six children died, the youngest of them being six years old.
In KZN three children have died in the Cambana area in uMzumbe and their grandmother was hospitalised.
KZN Premier Thami Ntuli said that, although the post mortem results have yet to confirm the actual cause of death, it was alleged that the victims fell ill and died due to food poisoning
Ntuli said in the province there would be continuous monitoring, starting with organised multi-sectoral teams targeting districts and engaging brand owners and communities to upscale monitoring capacity.
He said a comprehensive strategy to address the crisis would involve:
Truda Foods, a company that manufactures snacks and maize meals, has distanced itself from its products being harmful in any way.
The frequent reference to Truda was based on it being popularly sold at spaza shops.
“We sell millions and millions of packets every day and would be the most visible snack product in a spaza store. The reports about children getting sick after eating chips are irresponsible,” said CEO Colin van Heerden.
He said Truda Foods’ products were 100% safe.
“In 30 years of manufacturing, we have never had a single case of food poisoning linked to our product. It’s just not possible. Pathogens that cause food sickness don’t survive in dry conditions and temperatures over 70C. Our products are cooked at 190C and packed within seconds whilst still hot and have less than 1% moisture. Claims of pills being found in packets are mischievous,” he said.
He said every incident that they have investigated has turned out to be a false claim.
“We have criminally charged several people for lying and staging this,” said Heerden.
Addressing the nation on Friday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said a multidisciplinary team in government had been activated to address the incidents, with the Cabinet having met on three occasions to receive reports on them.
Ramaphosa said the teams included detectives from the South African Police Service(SAPS), health officials, environmental inspectors, Department of Agriculture officials, and officials from the National Consumer Commission.
“Integrated multidisciplinary inspection teams will undertake compliance inspections of food handling facilities, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers. This will include spaza shops and general dealers.
“A massive campaign of door-to-door inspections of all spaza shops, tuck shops, and other informal traders will be undertaken, starting with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.
Ramaphosa said all spaza shops and food-handling facilities must register with their respective municipalities within 21 days.
“Any shop that is not registered within 21 days and does not meet all health standards and requirements will be closed,” Ramaphosa said.