Govt bans all imports of Terbofos in wake of food poisoning
The government has approved banning all Terbofos imports following suspected food poisoning incidents last year.
Scores of children in Soweto died after eating snacks contaminated with Terbucycline, commonly used to kill rats.
Cabinet received a report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on food-borne Illnesses, which focused especially on organophosphate pesticides, which farmers commonly use.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the Soweto children died from eating food contaminated with Terbofos.
In the wake of the deaths, President Ramaphosa ordered the registration of all spaza shops in the country.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni briefed the media in Cape Town.
"Cabinet has approved the ban and the importation of Terbufos in South Africa, a chemical compound classified as an organophosphate, commonly used as an insecticide and pesticide.
"While specifics to determine the exposure by the children remain uncertain, the possibility that the children consumed food contaminated with Terbufos purchased from a local spaza shop remains the most viable explanation."
Ntshavheni said the government will work with experts to provide safer alternatives to Terbufos for farmers to ensure food security.
"The Department of Agriculture will lead the consultation process on the ban in line with its 2010 Plan to eradicate poisonous insecticides and pesticides over a period of time, and also work on identifying safer alternatives to Terbufos,” the minister added.
Terbufos has been banned in several Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, including Mozambique, Namibia, Angola and Zambia.
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