Pupils in hospital: Department blames load shedding and spoilt milk

Spoilt milk is being blamed for about 120 pupils from Kamvalesizwe Primary School having to be rushed to hospital on Monday, and the Eastern Cape Department of Education says load shedding could have played a part.

The pupils in the Eastern Cape reportedly fell ill immediately after eating lunch provided by the school on Monday.

Fortunately, the pupils are now well and have been discharged from hospital.

When asked who is accountable, the Departmental spokesperson Mali Mtima stated that no one is to blame as the milk had spoiled due to the hot weather.

Mtima also said that the ongoing load shedding in South Africa could have contributed to the milk going bad.

“We’ll be discussing if the school needs to purchase better refrigerators to store their food,” Mtima said.

The spokesperson suggested that the pupils should consume milk on the day it is purchased.

ALSO READ: 203 pupils suffer from ‘food poisoning’ at Pretoria school

Noodle deaths

In December, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) launched an investigation into the supplier of Howe Instant Noodles – Grandisync CC – based in Kariega in the Eastern Cape.

This came after five children died in November after allegedly consuming Howe two-minute noodles. Another three children from the Eastern Cape complained about stomach cramps and nausea soon after.

An inquest was opened after the deaths of three children – an 11-year-old girl, a seven-year-old girl and a four-month-old baby boy.

A week later, two children from Mpumalanga – a nine-year-old girl and her 13-year-old brother – died within an hour of each other after eating instant noodles.

Additional reporting by Cheryl Kahla

ALSO READ: Two children die, one hospitalised after eating same meal for breakfast