Ramaphosa makes child deaths under 12 notifiable following school poisoning crisis

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The incident affecting Grade 5 pupils from Imekhaya Primary School in KwaNonqaba, is linked to a spate of food-borne illnesses that have surfaced across SA's provinces, bringing the total number of SA's children affected to just short of 900 since September 2024.

Addressing the nation at the start of the weekend, President Cyril Ramaphosa linked the food poisonings to hazardous pesticides like Terbufos and Aldicarb. Terbufos is an organophosphate chemical that is registered in South Africa for agricultural use. It is not allowed to be sold for general household use.

However, Terbufos is being informally sold as a so-called ‘street pesticide’ for domestic use in townships and informal settlements to control rats. Aldicarb has been banned for use in South Africa since 2016.

Not confined locally

Investigations have revealed poor waste management, unregulated pesticide use, and inadequate food safety standards in spaza shops and informal vendors as key contributors.

"Even as our investigations are ongoing, it is critical to understand that this is not a problem confined to spaza shops and other informal traders," Ramaphosa said.

"There is also no evidence that the problem is confined to spaza shops owned by foreign nationals only. These products are just as likely to be sold in shops owned by South Africans."

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Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal have been most affected, with 22 children dying since September, including six in Soweto. Limpopo, Free State and Mpumalanga have also recorded dozens of incidents.

The nine children from Mossel Bay have since fully recovered and been discharged.

Stronger safety measures

In response to the crisis, Ramaphosa said he is making child deaths under 12 notifiable. A new death-certification system is planned.

"All deaths of patients 12 years and below will be made notifiable in the Notifiable Medical Condition Surveillance System. An electronic medical certification of death system will be established to allow the National Department of Health to access cause of death information immediately after a death is certified," he said.

This will be overseen by a ministerial health advisory committee comprising toxicologists, paediatricians, chemical pathologists, epidemiologists and forensic pathologists.

Strengthened biosecurity at ports, and updated pesticide regulations are also planned.

In his statement, Ramaphosa said government interventions would also include closing non-compliant shops, registering all food vendors, stricter pesticide regulations, and public-education campaigns.

Immediate inspections and clean-up efforts will target waste management and rat infestations, and schools will receive updated guidelines on food safety. Furthermore, a R500m fund will support township and rural businesses to improve compliance.

Safeguarding vulnerable communities

Collaborative efforts and stricter enforcement are focused on preventing future tragedies and safeguarding vulnerable communities, Ramaphosa said, despite dozens of foreign nationals being turned away on Monday, 18 November 2024 at the Jabulani Civic Centre in Soweto while attempting to register their spaza shops.

They were following Ramaphosa's order that all such businesses register within 21 days.

"We all have a duty – as the State, as a society, as parents and families – to protect those among us who are most vulnerable," he added.

Meanwhile, Garden Route mayor, Andrew Stroebel said environmental health practitioners were investigating the food-poisoning matter in Mossel Bay, and that the chips ingested by the school children have been sent to a laboratory.

The public is awaiting the test results.