Soweto spaza shop ‘poison snacks’ taken for testing: Hlabisa
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has vowed to act against unregistered spaza shops after an eight-year-old boy from Mapetla, Soweto, fell seriously ill allegedly after consuming contaminated snacks.
Hlabisa addressed the media on Thursday during his visit to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where the child is receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
"The step that we need to embark on now is to reinforce the implementation that every spaza shop that did not go through the registration process, its doors shouldn't be opened...We will go there [Mapetla] and speak to the community because it should be a collective responsibility."
The spaza shop where the boy allegedly bought the snacks has since been closed.
The minister confirmed that samples of the snacks have been taken to laboratories for testing.
"Once the results come back, we will clear any challenge around the snacks themselves, but concentrate on the organophosphate as a challenge in our communities.
Doctors at the hospital have also expressed concern over the increasing number of suicide-related cases, many of which involve the ingestion of terbufos, a toxic organophosphate insecticide.
Hlabisa warned against this trend, highlighting the mental health and socio-economic pressures contributing to such decisions.
“Whatever family challenges a person might be going through, there are centers that give counseling, that give support to family issues. Let us use those resources other than committing suicide."
He added that the continued abuse of organophosphate should be addressed at cabinet level.
READ MORE: Organophosphate identified as cause of Naledi kids’ deaths
"Very soon, together with the Minister of Health, we are going to release a report that tells us that in the farming community, many people have been dying silently from this poison.
"Once that report has been concluded, we are willing to take it to the cabinet, for the cabinet to decide to declare this poisonous to be illegal, to be available in South Africa, and whoever uses it and for whatever reason.
On a more positive note, Hlabisa said he was satisfied with the medical attention the young patient was receiving.
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