A banned pesticide has been linked to the deaths of several children in South Africa, according to conclusive tests conducted by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday addressed the nation on the government's plans to tackle the scourge of food-borne deaths across the country.
According to the NICD, Terbufos was the pesticide found in the investigations.
Ramaphosa said the unregulated use of restricted pesticides in communities has become a growing problem, with devastating consequences.
"In many townships, another chemical, Aldicarb, and an organophosphate known as Galephirimi are commonly sold by street vendors and hawkers to control rat infestations. Aldicarb has been banned for use in South Africa since 2016.
"Last year, three children in Ekurhuleni and three children in Soweto died after exposure to Aldicarb," he said.
This comes after several deaths of children in townships across the country were reported and suspected to be linked to food contamination.
At least six children died in Naledi, Soweto after they allegedly ate snacks bought from local spaza shops.
“One of the reasons that people use pesticides is to deal with rat infestation. The problem of rat infestation is due in part to poor waste management in several municipalities.
“Rubbish is not collected regularly, streets are not being cleaned, creating conditions for rats and other pests to thrive.
“Often, the poorest communities are the worst affected, and often the cheapest remedies that are used are these highly hazardous substances like Terbufos and Aldicarb,” he said.
Responding to the rising issues, Ramaphosa announced the cabinet’s plans to intervene to ensure that the matter was dealt with.
Getting hazardous pesticides off the street, protecting children from exposure to these substances, and preventing future outbreaks are some of the inventions that Ramaphosa mentioned.
He added that there is also no evidence that the problem is confined to spaza shops owned by foreign nationals only.
Measures government is putting in place:
– To get hazardous pesticides off the street
– The spaza shops which have been implicated in the deaths of children will be closed with immediate effect.
– All spaza shops and other food handling facilities must be registered within the municipalities in which they operate within 21 days from today. Any shop that is not registered within 21 days and does not meet all health standards and requirements will be closed.
– The South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies will be required to investigate, arrest and prosecute offenders. This will involve close cooperation with all registered manufacturers and suppliers.
– Integrated multidisciplinary inspection teams will undertake compliance inspections of food handling facilities, manufacturers, distributors, wholesaler and retailers. This will include spaza shops and general dealers.
– Non-compliant businesses and shops linked to any poisoning incidents or found to unlawfully stock hazardous chemicals will be shut down.
– A massive campaign of door-to-door inspection of all spaza shops, tuck shops and other informal traders will be undertaken, starting with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
He said this will be undertaken by inter-disciplinary inspections teams consisting of the South African Military Health Services, environmental health practitioners, the South African Police Service, the National Consumer Council, labour inspectors and others.
“The initial phase of inspections will need be completed within a month,” Ramaphosa said.
He said all registered manufacturers of Terbufos will be inspected to ensure that no products are diverted into the non-agricultural market.
“The supply chain process for distribution and sale of Terbufos will be investigated to ensure that controls are being adhered to and that there is accountability for who they sell to.
“Regulations and protocols on the traceability, repackaging, destruction and sale of pesticides, insecticides and foodstuffs will be strengthened,” he said.
Ramaphosa said there will also be measures to protect children from exposure to harmful substances and the Department of Basic Education will immediately issue a circular to Provincial Education Departments and all schools on best practice protocols for preventing and managing food-borne illnesses within schools.
He said a public education campaign will be launched aimed at children, parents, caregivers and the broader community on food safety and the identification, handling and storage of dangerous chemicals.
“This campaign will involve GCIS, government departments and agencies, industry organisations and civil society formations.
“This will be complemented by a public education campaign aimed at communities, spaza shops, tuck shops, informal traders and other retailers on health, safety and hygiene regulations, the identification of hazardous products, regulations that apply to hazardous products and legal consequences,” Ramaphosa said.
The President said work will be undertaken to prevent future outbreaks.
"I have directed that Joint Operational and Intelligence Structures be established at a national and provincial level to deal with this crisis.
“Our local municipalities will be required to take urgent action to address the problem of rat infestations by cleaning cities and towns and removing waste. All municipal landfill sites will be required to comply with National Environmental Management Waste Act. Failure to comply will result in strict sanctions that include directives, compliance notices and criminal enforcement,” he said.
A Ministerial Health Advisory Committee is being established to develop medium- and long-term prevention measures. This Committee will consist of experts such as toxicologists, paediatricians, chemical pathologists, epidemiologists, forensic pathologists and others.
All deaths of patients 12 years and below will be made notifiable in the Notifiable Medical Condition Surveillance System.
An electronic medical certification of death system will be established to allow the National Department of Health to access cause of death information immediately after a death is certified.
The work of the Biosecurity Hub will be strengthened to better control the entry of products, organisms and harmful biological products at ports of entry
The Department of Agriculture is in the process of reviewing and updating all relevant legislation with respect to the regulation and authorisation of agricultural pesticides for use in South Africa.
A joint fund of R500 million will be established by the Departments of Trade, Industry and Competition and Small Business Development to support township and rural businesses, including community convenience shops. The funding will be for the refurbishment of businesses and non-financial support in terms of technical skills, regulatory compliance and capacity building.
“As we undertake these interventions and measures, there is a lot that we can do as parents to protect our children.
“As consumers and parents, if we buy food or send our children to buy food, it must only be from places that are licensed to sell foodstuffs and that observe food safety regulations.
“We must check that food is prepared in a clean and hygienic area. We must make sure that foodstuffs being sold have clear branding and labels, and that they are not past their sell-by date. We must educate our children about food safety and teach them to check for this labelling themselves,” Ramaphosa said.
“Each of us needs to take responsibility for the safety and well-being of those around us, particularly the children of our nation.
By working together, by enforcing the law, by being alert and responsible, we will be able to bring an end to these tragedies,“ Ramaphosa said.
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