By Johnathan Paoli
The Gauteng government has issued an urgent call to parents, guardians and community members to be vigilant about the food their children consume, particularly from local spaza shops and vendors near schools.
This follows a wave of food-borne illnesses that have led to several fatalities and hospitalisations across the province.
At a special executive council meeting on Wednesday, members discussed the alarming rise in cases of food poisoning, particularly among children, taking swift action to address the situation and warning parents to closely monitor what their children ate, especially items purchased from informal outlets.
This call to action comes in the wake of the tragic deaths of two children in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni. They are believed to have consumed snacks from a spaza shop that may have been contaminated.
Acting premier Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, accompanied by finance and economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile, visited the grieving families in Katlehong earlier this week, expressing their condolences and reaffirming the government’s commitment to tackling the crisis.
“Parents must encourage their children not to buy these snacks. They are not only unhealthy but can be harmful to their health,” Diale-Tlabela said.
She appealed to homeowners and property owners who leased out spaces to spaza shops to take responsibility for ensuring that only safe, hygienic products were sold on their premises.
Maile condemned the ongoing threats posed by unsafe food products and the lack of regulation in informal markets.
“We are committed to ensuring that no child in this province is harmed by unsafe food. We will not stop fighting to bring order to the spaza shop industry,” he said.
In addition, the provincial education committee has called on the education department to enhance strict food safety measures across schools in the province.
Committee chair Moipone Mhlongo insisted that the sale of food in schools should be temporarily suspended until allegations were confirmed.
“We call on the Department of Education to implement a registration process for all food vendors in schools to ensure strict compliance with food safety regulations,” Mhlongo said.
The provincial government is intensifying efforts to promote food safety and hygiene practices among local vendors and consumers, and reaching out to spaza shops and informal vendors to ensure they comply with the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, and food labelling regulations.
The government is also urging communities to educate children about food safety and the risks of consuming unregulated products.
“We must all take proactive steps to ensure that the food consumed by our children is safe,” Diale-Tlabela said.
The government urged the public to seek immediate medical attention if they exhibited symptoms of food poisoning, including vomiting, fever, chest pains and body aches.
The acting premier said that government officials were working to ensure compliance with food safety standards and emphasised the importance of proper food storage, clean cooking environments and maintaining good hygiene practices.
Residents were encouraged to report any illegal activities related to the sale, trade, or use of dangerous chemicals to the nearest police station.
“The safety of our children is paramount. We will continue to engage with communities to ensure that every person involved in food production and distribution understands their responsibility and complies with the law,” said Diale-Tlabela.
INSIDE EDUCATION
