Fikile Mbalula Calls for Action on Spaza Shops After 12 Food Poisoning-Related Deaths

• The African National Congress's secretary, General Fikile Mbalula, urged that stern action be taken on the rising epidemic of spaza shop-related deaths
• He led a march to the party's Tshwane House on 8 November 2024 to highlight concerns about service delivery
• His comments came after the deaths of 12 children in the country allegedly from eating foods bought at spaza shops

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

PRETORIA — The African National Congress's Secretary General Fikile Mbalula called for something to be done to curb the rising deaths of children from food allegedly bought at spaza shops.

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Fikile Mbalula calls for action

Mbalula led a march at the party's Tshwane's House on 8 November 2024 to highlight issues communities face, including improving service delivery, economic equity and other community concerns. Mbalula said president Cyril Ramaphosa told him that the government is engaging the National Institute of Communicable diseases to tackle the deaths of children from food poisoning.

Mbalula's comments came after 12 children reportedly died this week after eating food allegedly purchased from spaza shops. He said the government would regulate the environment similarly to how it reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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His comments did not amuse netizens on Facebook.

Leonard Rsa Magagula said:

"That's the ANC we know. That's why South Africans punished you during the elections, and they'll punish you until you disappear."

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Cphiwe Skhoma said:

"He's just talking because he's trying to calm people down, nothing more."

Ras Abdul Khabir said:

"Closing spaza shops won't halt this issue. They should dig deep to find the real issue."

TK Vee said:

"Reactionary instead of preventative."

Amos Sello said:

"We hear talks but we don't see action."

11-year-old dies from eating snacks

In a related article, Briefly News reported that an 11 year-old died after allegedly eating snacks bought from a spaza shop.

The child complained about the taste, and her mother ate some snacks. Her little sibling had eaten as well, and while all three were hospitalised, the little girl was pronounced dead.

Source: Briefly News