No parent should bury their own childHere is the little girl’s last words after consuming snacks that left the family crying very painfully

Tragedy Strikes Alexandra: Young Girl Dies from Suspected Food Poisoning

A heartbreaking incident unfolded in Alexandra, Johannesburg, over the weekend when a 10-year-old girl tragically passed away from what was described by the Gauteng health department as a “foodborne illness”. This sad event has reignited concerns over the safety of food consumed by children in the area, following a series of similar tragedies.

The young girl was urgently taken to the Alexandra Community Health Centre’s emergency unit on Saturday night but did not survive. Her last words, as reported, were, “Daddy, take care of mom, me, I’m going home.”

Her mother and younger brother, who also consumed the snacks, were hospitalized but are now on the path to recovery. The exact cause of the illness remains under investigation, with the health department expressing alarm at the increasing number of foodborne illnesses affecting children in Gauteng.

In response, the Gauteng health department is collaborating with various stakeholders and municipalities to boost awareness and safety measures in townships, informal settlements, and hostels. They’ve advised the public to be cautious, purchase food only from licensed vendors, check for expiry dates, and ensure packaging is undamaged.

On Monday, Gauteng’s MEC for Economic Development and Finance, Lebogang Maile, visited the bereaved family to offer condolences and announced that his department would look into the incident. This follows a distressing pattern; just last month, six children from Naledi, Soweto, died after allegedly eating contaminated food from a local spaza shop. Investigations revealed the presence of organophosphate in their systems, though the source remains elusive since no such substance was found in the food samples.

Foster Mohale, the national health spokesperson, shared with the Mail & Guardian that results from samples taken from Naledi’s spaza shops are pending, which could clarify if there’s a direct connection to the children’s deaths. He noted that several shops have been shut down due to non-compliance with health regulations or community protests.

Further actions include intensified inspections by various government departments to ensure spaza shops adhere to safety standards. The City of Ekurhuleni’s inspections on Friday revealed significant violations, leading to fines and immediate closures of non-compliant shops, including one operating illegally on municipal land with hygiene issues.

Since January 2024, Gauteng has recorded over 372 cases of food-related illnesses, with 16 fatalities, signaling a dire need for enhanced food safety measures across the province.