By Johnathan Paoli
The Gauteng education department has announced that tuck shops, vendors and traders may only proceed to operate on school premises if they comply with requirements or upon completing the necessary verification.
Spokesperson Steve Mabona said that following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address last week on how the country was going to deal with food contamination that has mostly affected learners, compliance requirements must be adhered to, to ensure that food was free from harmful substances and was properly handled and stored.
“The Department of Basic Education has issued a Circular on Incidents of Food Poisoning, which serves as a guiding framework for schools, vendors and school communities regarding food sales,” Mabona said.
All tuck shops, traders and vendors must comply with legal requirements, by-laws, and food management regulations in order to operate.
Mabona confirmed that vendors needed to register within 21 days from last week Friday.
He said that operating vendors were required to obtain a valid certificate of acceptability (COA) as per the Food Stuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act.
Additionally, districts and schools must ensure that all food vendors within schools are in possession of a verified COA that has been confirmed by an environmental health practitioner of the respective municipal office.
Mabona reminded school governing bodies and school management teams of their responsibility to ensure compliance, including the verification of food items being sourced from reputable suppliers and that they did not contain harmful substances.
The department called for the submission of daily reports on food-related incidents using a standardised template, sharing food safety tips and awareness materials, and following the National School Nutrition Programme guidelines.
In order to ensure a swift and effective response from the authorities, Mabona encouraged schools to adhere to standard operating procedures for managing suspected food poisoning cases.
Education MEC Matome Chiloane called for cooperation to ensure a safe space for education.
“The department remains committed to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of learners. Schools, parents and communities are encouraged to work together to ensure compliance with these measures and maintain a safe learning environment for all,” Chiloane said.
A total of 23 children have died in the 441 cases of alleged food poisoning incidents that have been reported in the province, involving the majority of children aged between six and 10.
INSIDE EDUCATION
