By Doreen Mokgolo
The community of Katlehong in Ekurhuleni is reeling with pain after three children died of food poisoning in less than a week and many others needed hospital care.
In the early hours of Thursday morning siblings Owami Xaba, 6, and Hope Xaba, 9, from Sonqoba Primary School died of food poisoning after allegedly consuming snacks and kool aid they bought from a foreign-owned tuckshop.
They were declared dead in their home by paramedics.
In the same school, 32 learners in Grade 3 were rushed to hospital on Monday with suspected food poisoning.
Though the Xaba siblings were not part of the group and grade that was affected and taken to hospital, they also complained of stomach cramps and runny stomachs on Monday and Tuesday.
In the same community, in the early hours of Sunday morning Lwethu Sikonde, 10 – a learner from Kwanele Primary School – died after consuming juice he bought from a vendor at the school.
In another incident, 27 learners from Setsing Primary School were rushed to hospital after eating expired chocolate they bought from a vendor at the school on Monday.
On the same day, 12 children from De Bruyn Primary needed treatment in hospital after eating snacks they bought from vendors operating in the school.
Speaking to the media, Lwethu’s sister Boitumelo Sikonde said her brother started complaining about stomach cramps and diarrhoea on Thursday after break.
“When I returned home from work I found him sleeping and sick. We took him to the local clinic but his condition got worse.
“We bought him medication to stop the runny tummy but the cramps continued.
“On Sunday night he got worse. We called a taxi to take him to hospital but he died and was declared dead in hospital,” she said.
Boitumelo pleaded with the Gauteng government to temporarily prevent vendors from trading in the schools until a permanent solution is found.
The grandmother of the two siblings, Thabisile Xaba, 57, said all she wants is for those responsible for her grandchildren’s deaths to be held accountable.
Visiting the families, Gauteng Finance MEC Lebogang Maile promised the families that government will leave no stone unturned.
“Though there has always been inspection of the tuckshops, more still needs to be done; we need to be aggressive and deploy enough inspectors.
“There must be greater accountability and responsibility from the inspectors and law enforcement,” he said.
Pictured above: Lwethu Sikonde, and Owami and Hope Xaba.
Source: Doreen Mokgolo
