A recent surge in food-related illnesses and deaths, especially among schoolchildren, has been linked to a chemical agent, prompting the South African government to launch an urgent investigation.

According to Health Departmental spokesperson Foster Mohale, a multi-disciplinary team, including health inspectors, police, and environmental experts, has been deployed to identify the source of the contamination and prevent further tragedies.

“In the past few weeks, South Africa has been bedeviled by a strange phenomenon of a spate of food-related sudden illnesses and deaths, especially in schools.

“Those affected have concluded that these ailments are a result of food poisoning emanating from foodstuff, particularly snacks, sold by foreign-owned spaza shops.”

He said this has become the generally held view in the country, which prompted some people to take action based on this belief and understanding.

“These increasing incidents in black communities have led to an unfortunate and unsubstantiated perception that authorities are turning a blind eye to this crisis and seem not to care about what’s happening to the citizens.”

Mohale said SAPS detectives have been working around the clock to try to unravel this mystery, especially where children have died, as is the case in Naledi, Soweto.

“The metros of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni have deployed their Environmental Inspectors to investigate the cause of these sudden attacks.”

He said the Environmental Directorate of the National Department of Health has also sent their Health Inspectors to check compliance with health regulations.

“The Department of Agriculture has also sent in their officials to check if the problem might not be emanating from their produce or from lack of compliance with some of their production regulations.”

Mohale added that the National Consumer Commission (NCC) has also deployed senior officials to investigate the possibility of a breach of consumer protection regulations.

“After careful analysis of the situation, it is clear that these bodies were focused on their areas of work to check whether their laws and regulations and established practices had been breached or not complied with.

“The national structure responsible for coordinating the security of the state (NATJOINTS), is treating these incidents as a potential threat to the security of the country and its citizens.”

He said these bodies have been working to investigate potential breaches in health regulations, food production, and consumer protection laws.

After extensive analysis, authorities have concluded that the cause is a chemical agent.

“At the end of the careful analysis, the teams came to the conclusion that we are dealing with a chemical agent and that this must be identified as a matter of urgency. A plan has subsequently been hatched to mount a systemic search for the agent causing this malady.”

According to Mohale, the first steps of implementing the plan were triggered last week and will be accelerated during the course of this week.

Also read: 47 Pretoria learners treated for food poisoning

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