Five-year-old Siyabonga Mnisi laid to rest
Siyabonga Mnisi’s funeral in Diepsloot Zone 3, Soweto, was marked by a sense of injustice as friends and family paid their final tributes to the 5-year-old.
Mnisi was laid to rest at his home on Sunday after he died on Wednesday from a foodborne illness caused by snacks he bought at a local spaza shop.
Mnisi presented various symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea before being rushed to the hospital where he passed away.
He was set to graduate from grade R last Friday, and his teacher, Thopi Simelane from Dumezweni Primary School, said the country missed out on the future doctor.
“Other kids were happy and rejoicing on the day of the graduation and yours is today when we graduate to heaven,” said Simelane. “There goes my doctor and my lawyer. Farewell, my son.”
Gauteng Education’s Mocheke Thoka pressed the police to quickly determine the cause Mnisi’s death and strengthen bylaws for spaza shops.
“We shall not rest until we have arrested the scourge of foodborne illnesses and fatalities in our communities. We call upon the City of Johannesburg to implement bylaws that prohibit illness business operations in our townships,” Thoka said.
Gauteng Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile visited the bereaved family on Thursday and appealed to residents not to register businesses on behalf of foreign nationals.
Police are still awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of the death.
READ MORE: Soweto child dies from suspected food poisoning
Meanwhile, the Gauteng Education Department confirmed the death of another Diepkloof child, an 8-year-old grade 2 pupil from Thabisile Primary School.
The department stated that the pupil fell ill on Wednesday after eating biscuits from a spaza shop, was rushed to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, and was declared dead on Friday.
ALSO READ
