Metro police keeping eye on protests in Tsakane
Ekurhuleni metro police officers were deployed to various protest-hit schools in Tsakane, east of Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
It is believed the protesters are angry at the death of a grade 1 pupil from Mandlethu Primary School.
The pupil died on Tuesday after eating biscuits bought at a local spaza shop.
This is the latest in a spate of deaths in Gauteng linked to food bought from spaza shops.
In October a grade 3 pupil from Tiro Primary School in Tshepisong, Roodepoort, died in a suspected case of food poisoning.
The Department of Education in Gauteng said police are investigating the circumstances that led to the child's death.
"According to information at our disposal, the parents confirmed that the child had consumed biscuits which were bought from a local spaza shop owned by foreign nationals," said Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane's spokesperson Xolani Mkhwemte.
"We plead with parents to be vigilant concerning the edible goods that their children consume," said Mkhwente.
"We call upon law enforcement agencies and municipalities to be more stringent on compliance matters related to spaza shop products."
The department said it will deploy the Psycho-Social Support Unit, to provide trauma support and counselling to all affected individuals.
“It was further established that the learner was declared dead by the paramedics at the school premises. Law enforcers are on site monitoring the disruptions and calling on all those involved to respect the law and not to partake in criminal activities of any nature,” said EMPD spokesperson Thabiso Makgato.
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