2 Free State Sisters’ Postmortem Done, Health Department Discourages Speculation Over Deaths

• Reports of children dying after buying food from vendors have become commonplace, and many people are up in arms
• The Free State Department of Health shared an update about Palesa and Bohlale Kutoane, siblings who died after visiting a tuckshop
• Authorities have made progress in establishing what caused the sisters from Vredefort's untimely deaths

VREDEFORT - Two sisters, Palesa and Bohlale Kutoane, passed away mysteriously. The sisters' deaths in Free State have left their family distraught.

The girls are among many other children who have lost their lives after buying food from vendors. The Free State Department of Health spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, gave a detailed update on the pending case.

2 sister's death under investigation

Vredefort siblings, ages three and four, Palesa and Bohlale Kutoane, passed away after eating snacks from a tuckshop. The young sisters were buried on 21 October 2023, despite the family demanding to know the cause of death before burial.

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Mondli Mvambi, representing the Free State Department of Health, told SABC News that they have collected evidence for investigations to determine if there must be criminal proceedings.

He said:

"The department urges all parties involved to desist from speculation on the causes of death until the final postmortem report is issued to the SAPS for their determination as to whether there are any criminal proceedings to be instituted after that.”

SA worried over child deaths

Online users shared their concerns after seeing updates about the girls. Some called for spaza shops to be closed if the result established the snacks as the cause of death.

Constance Malokela wrote:

"Let's have a two days strike so that our Government can listen to us and pay solidarity to those experiencing this."

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Linkie Maja said:

"If outcomes are from those snacks, shops must be closed."

Degu Idris Estifanos added:

"In the right ways. How do you know a spaza shop is food-killing children? You are wrong because of your action of violating your own country."

Mxolisi Lonwabo Qobo was disappointed:

"Postmortem was conducted, but no results for the cause of death."

Malizole Bika was enraged:

"They must close all those spaza shops because they will finish our children. Our country is not like before."

Kid died after buying from spaza shop

In a separate story, Briefly News reported that a grade three student in Roodepoort died after eating cookies from a tuck shop. Many South Africans were up in arms over the tragedy.

SA worries about safety of kids after 2 die from snacks

Briefly News previously reported that two young children have unfortunately died after consuming food from a taxi rank in the West Rand, Johannesburg.

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According to TimesLIVE, four children ate snacks from the taxi rank. Two of the children, aged two and three, died after consuming the snacks.

The other two children were rushed to the hospital for treatment. Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the cause of death is currently unknown, and police have opened two dockets.

Source: Briefly News