Cyril Ramaphosa Introduces Strict Measures to Combat Rising Food Poisoning Deaths in South Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced strict measures to tackle the rising child deaths from food poisoning linked to illegal pesticides. "Across the country, there has been a rise in reported cases of food-borne illnesses and deaths. A number of people are becoming severely ill and even dying after eating contaminated food. It has been found that some of the food items would have been purchased from spaza shops and street vendors," Ramaphosa said in a nationally televised address on Thursday.

His statement came after public outcry and attacks on spaza shops in townships by locals. These small, informal shops are often run by foreign nationals, including Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Somali, and Ethiopian migrants. Some have been accused of selling expired foods, with videos showing fake brand labels on low-quality products circulating widely.

Food-Borne Illnesses Surge

Since September 2024, there have been 890 reported cases of food-borne illnesses nationwide. In recent weeks, these illnesses have resulted in the deaths of at least 22 children. Last month, a significant incident occurred in Naledi, Soweto, where six children died, the youngest being just six years old.

Following these tragic events, multidisciplinary government teams were activated to address the situation. These teams included detectives from the South African Police Service, health officials, environmental inspectors, Department of Agriculture officials, and National Consumer Commission representatives.

Hazardous Chemicals Identified

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases conducted scientific tests and confirmed that the deaths in Naledi were due to Terbufos, a highly toxic pesticide. "The National Institute for Communicable Diseases was requested to conduct scientific tests and has established that the deaths of the six children in Naledi, Soweto can be directly attributed to a highly hazardous chemical used as a pesticide known as Terbufos," he said.

Terbufos is an organophosphate chemical registered for agricultural use but banned for household use in South Africa. However, it is being sold informally as a 'street pesticide' for domestic rat control in townships and informal settlements.

Illegal Pesticide Sales

Samples from 84 spaza shops in Naledi revealed that three had evidence of Terbufos. Inspectors also found food stored alongside pesticides and detergents at some shops. Another toxic substance, Aldicarb, banned since 2016 in South Africa, was being sold openly by street vendors for rat control.

Ramaphosa criticised poor municipal waste management for contributing to rat infestations. "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 said.

Immediate Interventions Announced

The president announced several immediate interventions to address this crisis. These include removing hazardous pesticides from streets and closing spaza shops implicated in child deaths. All spaza shops and food handling facilities must register with their municipalities within 21 days or face closure if they fail health standards.

An inter-disciplinary inspection team will enforce wide-ranging inspections and prosecutions. This team includes the South African Military Health Services, environmental health practitioners, South African Police Service, National Consumer Council, labour inspectors, among others.

"Non-compliant businesses and shops linked to any poisoning incidents or found to unlawfully stock hazardous chemicals will be shut down," Ramaphosa warned. He set a one-month deadline for completing the first phase of this task.