Karabo Primary School Principal, Rose Tshivhase, has made an emotional plea to authorities to investigate the deaths of six pupils, including Katlego Olifant, who allegedly consumed contaminated snacks from a Soweto spaza shop.
Speaking at Katlego’s memorial service, Tshivhase urged authorities to get to the bottom of the tragedy to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The grade 1 pupil and his five friends died after allegedly eating “brown dash” snacks earlier this month.
Katlego, who fought for his life in hospital, passed away on Sunday while his community attended the funeral service of his five friends.
Educators remembered Katlego as a generous child, who always shared with his friends.
His teacher, Thalita Tshirangwa, fondly recalled the special bond between Katlego and his friend Njabulo, who also lost his life in the suspected poisoning incident.
Sharing fond memories of Katlego’s selfless nature, Tshirangwa described how he would give up his last cent for his friends.
The community is seeking answers and calling for stricter health and safety regulations at local spaza shops.
Residents in Naledi insist their community will not become a burial ground for their young people.
The community has, so far, lost eight children to suspected food poisoning with two of them having died last October after consuming biscuits, also from a local spaza shop.
Meanwhile, violent protests have erupted in other parts of Gauteng over the issue that many say is a ticking time bomb.
In Sharpville, residents have looted spaza shops, while snacks went up in flames in Bronkhorspruit as community members took to the streets in frustration following the alleged food poisoning of 25 children in the area.
This while in Verena, in Mpumalanga, residents reel from the suspected food poisoning of 21 learners, who had eaten edibles bought from a street vendor.
Fortunately, all the learners are now back at school.
Written by: Naomi Kobbie
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