Johannesburg: Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has acknowledged the challenges in addressing ongoing deaths and infections linked to foodborne illnesses. This as Gauteng police have opened an inquest docket after a five-year-old boy died on Wednesday in Diepkloof from suspected food poisoning.

According to South African Government News Agency, the Minister responded to questions about government’s efforts to deal with the surge in such cases, emphasising that tackling this issue is still in its early stages and requires time. ‘We are still at the beginning. It is not envisaged that we would have been able to solve this problem in a short space of time,’ said Motsoaledi.

He explained that President Ramaphosa recently announced a critical step to combat these deaths, making the death of any child aged 12 or younger a notifiable condition. Previously, such deaths were not categorised as notifiable. However, implementing this measure requires amending regulations, which is still in progress. ‘We have not e
ven started making it notifiable because we need to follow certain rules… We still have other diseases that are being [made notifiable] but not this one because the President has just announced it last week, and it has to go through processes of amendments and regulations, and we are very sorry that this still continues,’ Motsoaledi said.

The Minister expressed regret over the continued loss of life but stressed the importance of a thorough approach.

Motsoaledi addressed calls to shut down spaza shops until the issue is resolved, stating that the problem extends beyond these establishments. ‘This organophosphate is widespread in our communities. It’s not only spaza shops. It’s sold at taxi ranks, old-age pension payout points, by hawkers in the streets and even on trains, so it’s all over and I don’t think [we should] target [just] one area,’ he explained.

The Minister further explained that investigations into the source of the contamination include a look into the five manufacturers of Terbufos, an org
anophosphate pesticide intended strictly for agricultural use. ‘The Department of Agriculture is going to follow up on the five manufacturers of Terbufos to see through their processes where a leak could have happened such that Terbufos gets into a community, whereas it was supposed to stay only in agriculture, in the fields. So that’s one of the things that’s still going to happen,’ Motsoaledi said.

While some spaza shops have been found to store Terbufos, the Minister explained that legal action requires definitive evidence linking these shops to specific deaths. ‘When 84 spaza shops in Naledi were inspected, Terbufos was detected in three. Swabs from counters and food storage areas tested positive. However, without proof that food linked to a child’s death was purchased there, prosecution may not hold in court,’ he said.

Motsoaledi said that detectives are continuing investigations to establish these links, but in the meantime, authorities may close shops found with Terbufos as a precautionary measure. H
e said government remains committed to addressing the crisis and ensuring accountability, but the process demands both thorough investigation and adherence to legal frameworks.