President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to call a family meeting to address the scourge of food poisoning cases in the country. This is according to Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
She said the date is expected to be confirmed, however, government was hard work to resolve the rising number of spaza shop-related deaths.
Xinhua reported that authorities in the Gauteng announced new by-laws to regulate tuck shops after the province recorded 441 suspected food poisoning cases, resulting in the deaths of 23 children since January.
Many people blamed the government for its failure to regulate the spaza shops and also ensure that the food products were safe for consumption.
During the briefing, Ntshavheni said the cabinet was briefed about the crisis and has extended her condolences to the families of those who lost their lives due to food-borne illnesses.
The tragic deaths were reported in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Free State.
She maintained that the government would intervene to put the matter to rest.
“The Department of Health has activated the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) to trace and examine the source of the poisoning of food and make recommendations.
“The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs supported by the Department of Small Business Development and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disaster Management have gazetted the Standard Draft By-laws for Township Economies aimed at mobilising municipalities around a common agenda and collective responses towards inclusive local economies and curbing illegal business operations in townships,” she said.
Secretary-general of the African National Congress (ANC), Fikile Mbalula, has urged the government to close all unregistered spaza stores, forcing them to re-register and permanently close any that do not have the required paperwork.
But Ntshavheni could not respond more to Mbalula’s call, saying Ramaphosa will brief the nation.
IOL Politics