South African authorities search for source of food poisoning

Authorities in South Africa believe a chemical agent may be to blame for recent cases of illness in the country.

Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi said a search is underway for the agent causing sickness. At least five schoolchildren are known to have died.

An ongoing investigation involving the National Consumer Commission, South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Agriculture, Environmental Directorate of the National Department of Health, and officials from Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.

A threat to national security

Motsoaledi added the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) to the team, in part because of its role in finding the source of a large Listeria outbreak that occurred in the country between January 2017 and July 2018. NICD confirmed 1,060 cases and 216 deaths. The outbreak was traced to a polony made by Enterprise Foods, which was owned by Tiger Brands.

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), is treating the current incident as a potential threat to the security of the country and its citizens.

Those affected believe they fell sick because of food poisoning from products, particularly snacks, sold by foreign-owned spaza shops. These sites are also called tuck shops and are informal grocery stores.

A plan to find the source includes using 80 environmental inspectors from the National Department of Health and the City of Johannesburg. Teams from SAPS and the National Consumer Commission will join them.

Teams have undergone training at the NICD and have been provided with the necessary equipment and tools. They will be working under the direct supervision of the NICD. Work has commenced in Naledi, Soweto.

Other incidents

Gauteng Member of the Executive Council for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation, Matome Chiloane, expressed his concern over another foodborne illness incident at Mshuluzane Mayisela Primary School in Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit in mid-October.

About 25 schoolchildren fell ill after allegedly consuming snacks purchased from street vendors outside the school. People began showing symptoms, such as itching and stomach pains, 30 minutes after eating the snacks.

​Concerns about food safety in spaza shops also dominated discussions at a recently held community-based planning meeting in Johannesburg. Residents voiced frustrations about the quality and hygiene of products in these small convenience stores, placing pressure on the city to improve monitoring and enforcement.

In September, the Gauteng Department of Health said 207 food poisoning cases affecting children had been reported across the province since February 2024, and 10 people had died.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/10/south-african-authorities-search-for-source-of-food-poisoning/