Five children, aged between six and ten, passed away after allegedly consuming snacks bought from a local spaza shop in Naledi, Soweto, South Africa.
The children fell seriously ill shortly after eating the food, displaying alarming symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and being unable to speak or eat.
The grieving families of the deceased children are now seeking answers and closure, devastated by the sudden loss of their young ones.
Among the affected families is that of seven-year-old Zinhle Maama, whose father, Dumisani Manisela, shared the heartbreaking details of his daughter’s final moments.
Speaking to local media, Manisela explained that his daughter came home showing signs of severe distress.
“She had diarrhoea, was vomiting, and shaking. I tried to give her milk, but she couldn’t stop vomiting and couldn’t talk. We rushed her to the hospital, but by the time we arrived, she had passed away,” he narrated.
Following the tragic incident, parents and local residents are expressing concern and demanding answers. Families of the deceased are calling for a thorough investigation into the cause of the children’s deaths to ensure that no other child suffers the same fate.
One child from the group who consumed the snacks survived the ordeal and is currently receiving treatment in an intensive care unit at a private hospital in Soweto.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the area. Just last year, two boys died after allegedly consuming an item purchased from a spaza shop in the same neighbourhood.
The recurrence of these tragic events has raised serious concerns about the safety and quality of food products sold in local shops, particularly spaza shops that are often frequented by children and community members for snacks and other daily essentials.
South African Authorities have been alerted to the incident, and investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the deaths.
It is suspected that the food consumed by the children may have been contaminated, but official confirmation is still pending. Health and safety officials are expected to conduct thorough inspections of the spaza shops in the area to prevent further tragedies.