By Jacobs Botha
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has announced stringent measures to combat the rising number of child deaths due to food poisoning linked to illegal pesticides.
The president’s announcement comes in the wake of public outcry and attacks on spaza shops in townships by local residents.
Since the beginning of September 2024, there have been 890 reported incidents of food-borne illnesses across all provinces, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal being the most affected.
Over the last few weeks alone, these illnesses have claimed the lives of at least 22 children, including a tragic incident in Naledi, Soweto, where six children died, the youngest being just six years old.
“Few words can adequately convey our sadness and our pain as a nation,” Ramaphosa said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they go through the pain and the anguish of losing their children. Losing a child is something no parent should ever have to endure. The young children who died weren’t just children of their families. They were our children.”
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases conducted scientific tests and confirmed that the deaths in Naledi were due to Terbufos, a highly toxic pesticide. Terbufos, an organophosphate chemical registered for agricultural use, is not allowed to be sold for general household use.
However, it has been informally sold as a “street pesticide” for domestic use in townships and informal settlements to control rats.
In response to these findings, Ramaphosa announced the immediate closure of spaza shops implicated in the deaths and the deployment of multidisciplinary teams, including detectives from the South African Police Service, health officials, environmental inspectors, Department of Agriculture officials, and representatives from the National Consumer Commission.
These teams will conduct wide-ranging inspections and prosecutions to ensure compliance with food safety regulations1.
“Spaza shops and street vendors have a special responsibility for the health and safety of their customers. They need to operate responsibly and in terms of the law,” Ramaphosa emphasized. “We must do what it takes to make sure such tragedies never happen again.”
The president also criticized poor municipal waste management for contributing to rat infestations, which in turn led to the use of hazardous pesticides.
“Many municipalities do not have the capacity and resources to conduct inspections of these businesses and enforce regulations. Our response must therefore address all the factors that contribute to the problem,” he added.
Ramaphosa’s decisive measures have been welcomed by many, but the road to ensuring food safety in South Africa remains challenging.
The government’s commitment to addressing these issues and protecting its citizens, especially children, will be crucial in preventing future tragedies.
