Following the deaths of five children in Naledi, Soweto, upset community members have shut down all foreign-owned spaza shops.

Monica Sebetwana (9), Isago Mabote (8), Karabo Rampou (9), Ida Maama (7) and Jabulo Msimanga (7) died, allegedly after eating snacks purchased from one of these shops. Six children in total consumed the snacks, but one, seven-year-old Katlego Oliphant, is still alive and fighting for his life in hospital.

“Katlego is in ICU at Lesedi Hospital. He’s fighting, although his condition is fluctuating, and the doctors haven’t said much,” his mother, Lydia, says.

Nani Rampou, the grandmother of eight-year-old Karabo, said doctors informed her that Karabo had ingested something poisonous.

“Karabo was carried home by a neighbour, vomiting a brownish substance with foam coming from his nose. The neighbour laid him down and called for an e-hailing driver as the ambulance was taking too long. At the hospital, the doctor confirmed that he had eaten something poisonous,” she explains.

Agnes Mabote, the grandmother of seven-year-old Isago, recalls her grandson returning home shivering.

“Isago said he felt dizzy and told me he wasn’t well and that he was going to die. I scolded him for saying that and suggested we rest. He was vomiting brown substance, and after giving him milk, his eyes started to change. We rushed him to the hospital, but within 30 minutes, he was pronounced dead,” she adds.