By Doreen Mokgolo
Samples of the “brown dash” snacks, like those bought from a foreign-owned tuckshop in Naledi, Soweto, which allegedly killed six children, have tested negative for chemical contamination.
However, the toxicology report on a sample of the snack found in a plastic bag in one of the victim’s pockets is still to be revealed.
Three weeks ago, six friends, aged between six and eight – Katlego Olifant, Monicca Sathekge, Zinhle Maama, Isaago Mabote, Njabulo Msimango, and Karabo Rampou – died of food poisoning after eating snacks they bought from the tuckshop.
In an interview on eNCA, environmental health practitioner Lucky Tshihanyise said the results from the samples they took from the shop were not contaminated by any chemical.
“We are still busy with further investigations and monitoring spaza shops in the area for food compliance,” he said.
“Pronouncements will be made once the investigations are concluded, but for now we can only comment on the alleged product.”
Since the incident, the government has deployed 80 environmental health practitioners in Gauteng to investigate a potential chemical linked to food poisoning cases in the province.
The families of the children say they were not informed about the latest results.
Katlego Olifant’s uncle, Thabiso Kobuoe, told Scrolla.Africa that the hospital found rat poison in his nephew’s system but that the family was still waiting for the toxicology results from the samples of the snacks that the children shared.
“We are shocked that the results are back but were not informed and learned about them through media inquiries.
“We don’t know what to make out of this; we are still in deep pain with unanswered questions of how rat poison ended up in Katlego’s system,” he said.
Monicca Sathekge’s father said the family are still waiting for post-mortem results to determine the cause of his daughter’s death.
“For us to come to terms and start healing, we need to know where and how the poison ended up in the snacks that the children shared.
“The people responsible must be arrested and pay for causing us and the community this much pain,” he said.
Johannesburg’s MMC for Health and Community Safety Ennie Makhafola confirmed that the results of the samples taken from the biscuits that allegedly killed two children in the area last year also came back negative.
Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department had not received the results.
Pictured above: Food samples found to be expired in spaza shops.
Source: Supplied
