By South Africa is facing an onslaught towards its learners country wide suffering and dying from food poisoning from items they bought from spaza shops. The Free State is the latest province to have fallen a statistic of learner food poisoning.
The Free State MEC for Basic Education Dr Mamiki Maboya confirmed that 49 learners in Welkom were admitted to hospital with symptoms of food poisoning on Wednesday, 6 November 2024.
According to the department; the learners bought snacks, shibobo biscuits, lollipops and sweets from nearby spaza shops and vendors within the school’s premises. While at assembly in the morning, learners started showing symptoms such as severe skin irritation, itching and uncontrollable discomfort causing some of them to roll on the ground.
Upon realising what was happening, the teachers rushed the 48 learners from Daluvuyo Primary School to Bongani Hospital where they were treated. One learner was rushed to RH Matjhabeng Hospital by his parent; he was treated and later discharged.
According to the MEC, 45 of the learners have since been discharged with their medication being arranged. Three learners are however still in hospital for medical observation.
MEC Maboya has called on law enforcement agencies and municipalities to clamp down on spaza shops and vendors selling poisonous consumable items as they pose a health risk to learners and disrupts teaching and learning especially during the critical time of exams.
“We are happy that Environmental Health inspectors and police are investigating the matter but we are told that learners bought snacks and chocolates from spaza shops and vendors operating near and within the school,” said MEC Dr Mamiki Maboya.
The MEC has further affirmed that her department, in partnership with the Department of Social Development has provided psycho-social support to affected learners and their families.
Going forward, schools are going to more strict on vendors selling food items to learners, as such, school management have been instructed to assess and regulate the presence of vendors on or near school premises.
“We are evaluating current policies governing the sale of food items to learners on school ground.
A comprehensive regulatory guideline will be developed to ensure that all vendors comply with strict health and safety standards,” said MEC Maboya.
“The Department is exploring legislative options to enhance the regulation of vendors around schools. This may include engagements with municipal authorities and other relevant stakeholders to establish enforceable guidelines that prioritise learner safety,” said MEC Mamiki Maboya.
“We will continue to monitor the situation at Daluvuyo Primary School and ensure that affected learners receive the necessary medical and psycho-social support,” she continued.
