Officials in South Africa have urged action after the deaths of five children linked to eating food from local shops.
The Gauteng provincial legislature’s community safety portfolio committee called on law enforcement to curb the sale of expired food in spaza shops. These sites are also called tuck shops and are informal supermarkets.
“The committee is deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of five schoolchildren. This tragic incident highlights the urgent need for stricter enforcement of bylaws to prevent the sale of expired and harmful goods, especially in township areas, where many spaza shops, including those owned by illegal aliens, operate with little or no supervision by metro police officers and relevant authorities,” the group said in a statement.
“The committee strongly condemns the continued sale of expired and counterfeit goods that pose a serious threat to the health and safety of our communities, especially vulnerable children. The irresponsible behavior of some spaza shop owners, who put profit before the well-being of the community, is intolerable. It is essential that law enforcement agencies conduct regular inspections to monitor compliance and that immediate action is taken against those who violate these laws.”
The committee also called on authorities, including the Ministry of Health, to step up inspections to ensure that all food products sold in spaza shops are safe and have not passed their expiry date.
Large-scale problem
In September, the Gauteng Department of Health said 207 cases of food poisoning in children have been reported across the province since February 2024 and 10 people have died.
“The department is deeply concerned about the increasing number of deaths among children due to foodborne illness,” said Gauteng Executive Council Member for Health and Wellbeing Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.
In October 2023, the agency confirmed the deaths of at least five children from suspected food sources.
The Inkatha Freedom Party extended its condolences to the families of children who died, reportedly due to food poisoning, after consuming snacks purchased at a spaza shop in Naledi, Soweto.
“The fact that these fatalities are not the first of their kind in the Naledi community is a testament to the kind of indifference and impunity with which these unscrupulous spaza shops operate. Their actions in overlooking the basic environmental health and food health and safety standards of their products show little to no regard for the well-being of their consumers,” the group said in a statement.
The political party condemned the sale of unsafe food in informal settlement areas and urged authorities to conduct more inspections.
The Democratic Alliance called on the Department of Community Safety to work with municipalities in monitoring compliance with health and safety regulations in all types of businesses, including spaza shops.
The political party also urged parents and communities to protect children by reporting any suspicious products or practices of spaza shops to authorities.
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