Eastern Cape pupil dies, six others fall ill after 'eating spaza shop snacks'

Six pupils from Qonce fell ill, and in a separate incident one child died, after they allegedly consumed snacks bought at two spaza shops in the Eastern Cape on Thursday. 

Tshatshu village’s Anothando Kwindla, 9, a grade 4 pupil at Ngqika Primary School in Zwelitsha, died on Thursday. She had been rushed to a local clinic by frantic teachers, where she died from suspected food poisoning.

The six pupils, who received urgent medical care on Thursday, are from Luzuko Primary in nearby Sweetwater township. They were attended to at a local clinic before being transferred to Grey Hospital.

In all the cases, it is suspected the youngsters fell ill after consuming food items or snacks bought from spaza shops in their respective areas. Cases of children dying after allegedly consuming contaminated food have been reported across SA in recent weeks.

After several prior cases, the Buffalo City metro is forging ahead with plans to shut down about 2,000 non-compliant spaza shops across the city.

Kwindla's death was confirmed on Friday by education MEC Fundile Gade, who said she had “allegedly consumed snacks bought from a local food vendor”.

“The district report states the pupil started vomiting soon after arriving in class in the morning, and teachers rushed to assist her. The pupil was hurried to a clinic where she was declared dead at around 8.40am.

“The doctor on call advised the teachers an autopsy would have to be performed as foam in the pupil’s mouth indicated food poisoning,” Gade said.

Gade urged parents to be vigilant “and ensure children buy their food from recognised and legitimate food vendors.

“Any school community must be on alert, monitor what the pupils buy and consume, and report to local authorities if there are suspected poisoning cases.”

Provincial health spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase said the six pupils had been rushed to Grey Hospital with symptoms ranging from difficulty breathing to nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Health insiders said: “The pupils  complained of stomach pains and shortness of breath.”

During a visit to the Kwindla family at the weekend, the family was battling coming to terms with the child's death.

The spaza shop where the snacks are suspected to have been purchased was cordoned off by police. 

Thelma Stuurman, Kwindla’s grandmother, said every morning for years she bought snacks for her grandchildren at the shop, as she had done that morning.  She shares a home with the late pupil and her two siblings. All three had porridge for breakfast on the day, and Stuurman said when Kwindla left for school she had been well.

Stuurman said she ate the chips she bought for her while waiting for her school transport. She said it wasn’t long after her grandchildren left for the day that she was collected by teachers, who said one of her grandchildren was sick.

“We rushed to the clinic and waited while she was being attended to. Not long after, they told us she had passed,” she said. 

She said the child had a bubbly personality.

Her mother, Thabisa Kwindla, said they were in shock. “We are trying to think how are we going to bury her and we would appreciate any assistance,” she said.

Ngqika Primary SGB chair Thulani Pile said this was the first such incident they had come across. “We are shocked and saddened by what has happened. We are waiting for the education department to assist our teachers who saw what happened to the pupil,” he said.

Thembeka Crow, from Sweetwater township, said when news broke of her grandchild being admitted to Grey Hospital, she prayed for her recovery. 

“It was my neighbour who told me children were not well at Luzuko and were taken to Sweetwater clinic. I cried because we’d heard what happened with the child from Tshatshu village. She [Crow’s grandchild] was treated at Grey and later discharged,” she said. 

Crow said once home, her grandchild told them she had consumed chips. 

Ndamase said the department was working with the metro's environmental health directorate to ascertain the facts.

Gade said they had activated district psychosocial support services for the school to counsel and debrief those who had witnessed the incident.

Buffalo City mayor Princess Faku recently told the council in the past three weeks in the metro three children were buried and six hospitalised, along with one other death, after consuming contaminated food items allegedly bought from spaza shops.

Police spokesperson Captn Mluleki Mbi confirmed they were investigating an inquest docket after Kwindla's death.

Children’s rights activist Petros Majola said there was an increase in the number of children falling ill after allegedly eating food items and snacks bought at spaza shops.

“I urge parents to take the lead and stop giving cash to their children,” he said.

On Friday, the metro intensified its spaza raids with operations in Beacon Bay’s Nompumelelo township, Ducats, Zwelitsha and Tshatshu village. 

Several arrests were made and 14 shops were closed down for noncompliance.

Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said expired foodstuffs to the value of R7,913 and illegal pesticides totalling R2,722 were removed.

Illegal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics worth R5,280 were confiscated.

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