By The Free State Province has recently been experiencing a spike in alleged food poising cases, whereby learners from Welkom and lately in Bloemfontein have been admitted in groves at hospitals for treatment.
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State has since noted these events with considerable concern. On 6 November 2024, 49 learners from Daluvuyo Primary School in Thabong, Welkom, were rushed to Bongani hospital after falling ill during assembly as a result of alleged food poising. All learners except for three were discharged later after receiving medical attention.
While the provincial leadership was still making sense of the incident, the following day, on 7 November, news broke that 21 learners from Ihobe Primary School in Bloemfontein were admitted at Pelonomi hospital for alleged food poising as well.
The second incident had the provincial leadership running around with concern and visited the learners at hospital. The Free State Premier Ms MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae had to cut her visit to Grassland Secondary School short to wish matriculates good luck for their exams and rush to the hospital, the Free State MEC for Basic Education Dr Mamiki Maboya, the Executive Mayor of Manguang Metro Cllr Gregory Nthatisi all made their way to the hospital to visit the learners.
Strides are being made to investigate the incidents and also to review policies and regulations for schools when it comes to food safety. The ANC says it applauds the Department of Economic Development and Tourism under the astute leadership of the deputy provincial Chairperson, Comrade Ketso Makume, for acting with the necessary speed and launching an investigation into the matter.
The Free State Provincial Secretary General of the ANC Mr Polediso Motsoeneng says preliminary investigations make for a worrying read. It has been established that:
• Products from: Turkey, Zambia, Pakistan, Canada and South Africa
• A barcode on one of the products reflects wrong address from the one of registration, which indicates non-compliance.
• Another barcode was registered in Canada but the product was made in China, another non-compliance.
• A barcode on one of the products was not registered
• Some of the products were manufactured in Pakistan and the barcode is also not registered
• There are products which belong to a Zambian enterprise and
• There are unbranded sweets without product description and barcode.
“The African National Congress, as the leader of society, is gravely concerned about an increase in these cases as lives are put in potential danger. We further call on our people to desist from purchasing consumable products from illegal establishments. The African National Congress has observed a proliferation of some RDP houses and home garages being turned into shops, and as such, our people purchase goods from those establishments.
We are making an appeal to the people of our province not to purchase consumables from such places as this can potentially put their lives in danger,” appealed Polediso Motsoeneng.
“These cases are of great concern to us because children are the most affected. Those who harm our children are declaring war against us because they are putting the future of our country in danger. We therefore wish to warn those who harm our children that they will be met with the wrath of the African National Congress. We reiterate our loyalty and biasness to the people, particularly the marginalised, in our province,” warned Motsoeneng.
