SEKHUKHUNE – Some learners from Makeke Primary School in Luckau village in the Elias Motsoaledi municipality were rushed to hospital on Monday where they were treated for vomiting and stomach cramps following a meal of beans, pumpkin and pap provided through a school-feeding programme.

This was confirmed by education spokesperson, Paena Galane, yesterday (Tuesday). He said premier Stanley Mathabatha and education MEC Thembisile Nwendamutswu were due to visit the school yesterday afternoon. Galane said the children were treated and sent home.

DA Limpopo leader Jacques Smalle said the latest incident was a clear indication that the distribution of contaminated food in the programme was more widespread than initially suspected.

He said the quality controls of the department were clearly not effective.

Yesterday Smalle attended a provincial legislature session and said he intended to request government to urgently withdraw all food provided to Sekhukhune schools by school-feeding schemes.

Provincial government spokesperson, Phuti Seloba, said the service provider in question had its contract to supply food to the school terminated.

According to DA Limpopo caucus spokesperson, Stephen Mbedzi, Smalle had opened five murder cases against the department of education and the service providers as, according to him, a total of five learners had already lost their lives.

Provincial police spokesperson, Col Ronél Otto said while she did not deny that cases had been opened, but she could not confirm who had opened them, as no case number was provided. “I can confirm that the principal of Hlakudi Primary School opened an attempted murder case against their school-feeding programme service provider. Another case of attempted murder was opened with the Jane Furse police. Food samples are being tested as part of these investigations,” she said.

Another 70 learners exposed to contaminated food