Family Reeling After Diepkloof Child Dies Allegedly After Eating Snacks Bought From a Spaza Shop

• The family of a little boy who died in Diepkloof after eating snacks brought from a spaza shop is in pain
• The child fell ill after eating the snacks and shortly died, and his grandmother said she last saw him asking for money for snacks
• South Africans were devastated by the death, and the government later called the food-borne illnesses a national disaster

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.

JOHANNESBURG —A woman said the last time she saw her grandchild, who died from eating snacks, was when he asked for money to buy the snacks.

Diepkloof child dies from eating snacks

SABC News reported that the incident happened on 20 November 2024 in Diepkloof in Soweto, Johannesburg. The five-year-old boy reportedly asked for money to buy snacks and bought himself some snacks at a nearby tuckshop. Sekai Ndalimane, the grandmother, said her daughter called her less than an hour later and said her son, Siyabonga, was not feeling well and was vomiting.

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South African Government declares food-borne deaths a national disaster

They rushed him to the hospital, and he was later declared dead. The ward councillor of Diepkloof, Brenda Dammite, urged landlords not to allow undocumented foreign nationals to operate spaza shops in their yards. Recently, Cyril Ramaphosa said spaza shops found guilty of selling poisoned food should be banned from operating.

SA shares the family's pain

The child's death disturbed netizens on Facebook.

Bucs Pieter said:

"The ANC government is waiting for more deaths."

Sthe Sthembiso said:

"Take care of your children because the president is doing nothing."

Mkhari Themba said:

"In 2026, let's vote for change. This government prioritises foreigners."

Mohau Mofokeng said:

"The person who sold those sweets to the kids must be arrested and charged."

Hummy humphreys Fwaya asked:

"Why is this issue affecting kids only?"

Food-borne illnesses declared national disaster

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the government declared food-borne illnesses a national disaster.

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After over 1000 food poisoning-related incidents were reported nationwide, the government briefed the country.

Source: Briefly News