DailySun
The South African government has taken action by shutting down 1,041 small retail stores to protect consumers from food contaminated with pesticides, which has led to the tragic deaths of 38 children across the country.
In line with this initiative, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has extended the registration deadline for these outlets, known as spaza shops, to February 28. This extension is designed to give the government extra time to formulate regulations for these businesses, as stated by Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, during a briefing held on Wednesday.
Read: SA declares food poisonings a national disaster
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The number of child fatalities due to poisoned food has risen to 38 from 22 in just one month, as reported by Tebello Mosikili, the police deputy national commissioner, during the same briefing. Additionally, three adults have also lost their lives. Chemicals like Terbufos, which are meant for agricultural use, are often misapplied by these shops to combat rodent infestations in townships. Poor handling of these substances can result in food contamination.
Read: Spaza shops and Stilfontein: Addressing the gaps that led to the crisis
In response, Ramaphosa plans to strengthen regulations and protocols concerning the tracking, repackaging, and sale of pesticides, insecticides, and food products. A panel of fifteen health experts has been assembled to develop medium- to long-term strategies aimed at decreasing the occurrence of foodborne illnesses in the country, Hlabisa noted.
Read: Nelson Mandela Bay’s mayor focuses on immigrant-owned spaza shops
According to Ramaphosa, there have been 890 reported cases of foodborne illnesses across the nine provinces as of November 15.
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