The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has called for stricter of regulations around vendors selling food to school children.
The party has written to the Education MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, following incidents of children falling ill after consuming food bought from some vendors outside schools.
Pupils who fell ill at Ngaqa Primary School in Mtubatuba were admitted to hospital this week after buying and consuming food from vendors outside the school earlier this week. This latest incident comes just a few days after five young children from Soweto died after consuming contaminated snacks.
“The DA welcomes recent developments from NATJOINTS - the national structure responsible for coordinating state security – which is treating these incidents as a potential threat to our country and its citizens,” said the party’s spokesperson on Education, Sakhile Mngadi.
However, Mngadi added, “It is not enough for these horrendous incidents to be investigated in isolation. KZN’s Department of Education (DoE) must ensure policy meets action by ensuring the safety of our learners through strict regulations around food sold to learners at schools.”
“The DA also recognises the role of municipal enforcement in this current crisis. We therefore call for a joint collaboration between MEC Hlomuka and his COGTA counterpart, MEC Buthelezi, in a bid to strengthen municipal law enforcement as well.”
The DA urges parents to ensure that their children only purchase snacks from accredited outlets to provide an additional safety barrier against this growing concern. The government must act swiftly if more loss of life is to be prevented.
In a related appeal, reports indicate that 22 learners have already been admitted to hospital, with the number expected to rise. The snacks are sold from unregulated vendors, mostly aligned to stores operated by foreign nationals.
The Mercury