Dept of Education investigate food poisoning
The Gauteng Department of Education is investigating the cause of suspected food poisoning which saw more than two hundred pupils at a matric revision camp in Tshwane fall ill.
Department spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said: “At this stage the department cannot confirm what led to the learners falling ill and is currently working with the Department of Health and the Health Services Unit from the Tshwane Municipality to establish what could have led to this.”
She added that the department had “quarantined all the food served at the camp as a precautionary measure”. The food, she said, had been sent for testing.
Just over over 200 matric pupils fell ill after eating the food at the Living Waters revision camp in Hammanskraal.
Sekhonyane said when the department of education received reports of the suspected food poisoning, “the department immediately arranged for medical care for these pupils and about 40% of these learners were taken to various hospitals for immediate medical attention”.
She said the majority of pupils have since been discharged from hospital, and “only six were admitted for further observation”.
Sekhonyane added “Gauteng Education MEC, Mr Panyaza Lesufi has expressed concern about the incident and has instructed the department to review the process of the appointment of stay-in camps for learners”.
She said that Lesufi had requested the department “to tighten the criteria for the appointment of these facilities with special emphasis on issues of health and safety”.
Sekhonyane said a team of health experts from the department of health would be providing support to food handlers at the camp.
In light of reports about the area’s water apparently being unfit for drinking, she said: “The Department of Water Affairs has also sent in inspectors at the facility to investigate what could have caused this incident.”
Sekhonyane said the department had been in contact with the pupils’ parents and school principals.