The South African government has shut down 1,041 small retail stores to prevent consumers from consuming food tainted with pesticides, which has led to the deaths of 38 children across the country.
In this effort, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has extended the deadline for registering these stores, known as spaza shops, to February 28. This delay is intended to give the government more time to formulate regulations for these businesses, as stated by Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Read: SA declares food poisonings a national disaster
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The number of child fatalities linked to poisoned food has risen to 38 from 22 just a month prior, as reported by Tebello Mosikili, the police deputy national commissioner, during the same briefing. Furthermore, three adults have also lost their lives. Chemicals such as Terbufos, commonly used in agriculture, are often used in these stores as pesticides for rodent control in townships. Improper use of these chemicals can lead to food product contamination.
Read: Spaza shops and Stilfontein: Addressing the gaps that led to the crisis
In response, Ramaphosa plans to improve the regulations and protocols concerning the tracking, repacking, and sale of pesticides, insecticides, and food products. A panel of fifteen health experts has been assembled to develop medium- to long-term strategies aimed at decreasing the incidence of food-related illnesses in the country, Hlabisa announced.
Read: Nelson Mandela Bay’s mayor focuses on immigrant-owned spaza shops
As per Ramaphosa, there have been 890 reported instances of foodborne illnesses across the nine provinces as of November 15.
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