FOOD POISONING IN SOUTH AFRICA @KASIBCNEWS

FOOD POISONING IN SOUTH AFRICA  @KASIBCNEWS

The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) is deeply concerned by the alarming rate of food poisoning incidents that have claimed the lives of many children- with 19 lives lost and 437 affected in Gauteng, and also affecting more than a thousand of children across the country. The cause of the deaths is linked to organophosphate contamination, and this has had the most impact on children between the ages of 4- 9 years old. 

This is not just a public health crisis; it is a call for us to act with both urgency and compassion. We recognise that among those impacted by these incidents, are women street vendors most of whom are our sisters, mothers and grandmothers, striving to make an honest living by selling snacks and foods to our communities. It is essential to acknowledge that these vendors find themselves vulnerable to this tragic contamination of food that threatens their children, their livelihoods and their dignity. 

They are not only sellers but are caregivers and community members who wish to provide safe, nutritious options for our children and families- and their struggle is our struggle. As the ANCWL, we stand in solidarity with these women. We are committed to ensuring that they are empowered with the knowledge and resources necessary to uphold food safety standards and the tools to detect contamination. 

We advocate for immediate action through stronger food safety regulations and support for training programs that can educate vendors on safe food handling practices, identifying contamination, and the unseen dangers posed by harmful substances like organophosphates that have so devastatingly crept into our communities. 

We therefore urge the government to declare a state of emergency and take immediate action to safeguard public health and demand the following: 

1. Thorough Investigation: Identify sources of food poisoning and contaminated products. 

2. Public Awareness: Intensify education campaigns on food safety and handling practices. 

3. Support for Affected Families: Provide medical and financial assistance 

4. Interagency Collaboration: Health, education, and law enforcement departments must work together to prevent future incidents. 

5. Immediate Closure: Shut down spaza shops selling contaminated food. 

Furthermore, we call upon local health authorities to work collaboratively with these vendors during health inspections and food safety blitzes to ensure that they are not disproportionately penalised or stigmatised.

We must foster a spirit of unity, treating them not as culprits but as partners in our journey towards a safe and healthy environment for all. Instead, let us create an environment that supports their efforts to provide safe food options while safeguarding our children's health. Let this crisis be our call to action and a rallying cry to secure our communities against threats to our health and dignity. 

The ANCWL is dedicated to mobilising all efforts and our communities to collaborate on this pressing issue and to advocate for policy changes that protect our children and empower our street vendors. Together, let us create a safer food environment and ensure that the most vulnerable among us can thrive without the fear of contamination. 

In memory of our young lives lost, we commit to continue to work tirelessly to bring awareness to this crisis, support initiatives that promote food safety, and uplift the voices of women street vendors who are integral to the fabric of our communities. Together, let us ensure that no family, no mother, no child, ever has to endure this pain again.