Investigation Underway After Food Poisoning Affects Children in Msintsi
- Four children from a suspected food poisoning incident have been treated and discharged from the hospital
- One child remains in critical care at Frere Hospital, following symptoms of weakness and vomiting
- Investigation teams work to determine the source of food poisoning in Msintsi while providing support to families
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
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EASTERN CAPE - Four of the seven children admitted to hospital following a suspected food poisoning incident in Msintsi have been treated and discharged, the Eastern Cape Department of Health said.
Children admitted to the hospital following food poisoning
The department said one child remains hospitalised and is receiving specialised critical care at Frere Hospital in KuGompo. The children were admitted to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital on 7 February 2026 after falling ill in Msintsi near the WS Fort Jackson area. All were boys between the ages of two and six. The department said the children arrived at the hospital at around 1 pm with symptoms that included weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and dizziness.
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It said emergency clinical and outbreak response protocols were immediately activated. Outbreak response and Environmental Health teams from the Buffalo City Metro Health District were deployed and worked with hospital management and clinical staff. Acting chief executive officer and deputy director general for Clinical Services, Dr Xamlashe, was on site to oversee and coordinate the response.
The department said clinical specimens have been collected to determine the cause of the illness. It added that post-mortem examinations will be conducted on the deceased to establish the exact cause of death. Response teams also carried out site visits in Msintsi and met with affected families, the ward councillor and the ward committee.
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Consumed various food items
According to the department, a detailed history showed that the children had consumed various food items, including instant porridge, rice, chips and sweets. Food samples have since been collected for laboratory testing. As a precautionary public health measure, Environmental Health Practitioners instructed a local spaza shop to close temporarily pending a formal inspection.
The department said it is working with the South African Police Service and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in a coordinated investigation. It added that clinical, environmental health and psychosocial support is being provided to the affected families, with ongoing monitoring and follow-up visits in the community. The department extended its condolences to the bereaved families and said efforts are underway to determine the source of the incident and protect community health.
Spaza shops come under fire; Mzansi outraged after 5 children die
Briefly News also reported that South Africans want foreign-owned spaza shops to be closed following the death of five children in Soweto. The five children were killed when they allegedly consumed food that they bought from a spaza shop. One year ago, two children were killed when they consumed biscuits from a spaza shop in the same area.
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Source: Briefly News
