DA calls for vetting of school vendors after ‘space cookies’ incident

This follows an incident whereby eight pupils from Emfundisweni Primary School in Alexandra were admitted to the hospital after eating so-called space cookies sold to them by a vendor outside the school premises.

The vendor who sold the dagga-laced cookies has since been taken in for questioning.

The DA’s Khume Ramulifho has slammed school governing bodies for failing to vet vendors at schools.

"We believe that it is the responsibility of the school to vet all the vendors trading outside their school premises to protect their learners from food poisoning and drug dealers.

"The DA demands that the Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, urgently establish a functional vetting system. This is in line with the DA’s call to review schools' safety strategy in the province."

Ramulifho says they will be conducting an oversight inspection at the school on Friday.

"We will engage the school management to establish the facts of this matter and the urgent interventions needed to protect learners. In addition, MEC Chiloane must initiate an urgent investigation into this matter. Gauteng schools also need regular environmental and health inspections to assess the nutrition programmes."

Police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi says a sample of the cookies has been taken for forensic investigation.

"The person was not arrested but an enquiry was registered for further investigations and a sample of the cookies alleged to be laced with drugs was taken for forensic analysis."

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