Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has recently weighed in on the surge of food poisoning cases in South Africa, stating that anyone who sells expired food is ”an enemy of the people” and the person must be isolated.
Malema made the remarks outside the Constitutional Court, where the EFF held a march with thousands of supporters to protest Parliament's decision to forgo an impeachment investigation into President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala scandal.
In recent months, South Africa has experienced a surge of food poisoning incidents, in provinces including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo.
Over 23 children have died after consuming contaminated food, which is believed to have been bought from undocumented spaza shops, operated by illegal foreigners.
Addressing the crowd clad in red, Malema condemned the sale of expired and contaminated food.
“Anyone who sells expired food is the enemy of our people and that person must be isolated,” he said.
Malema also accused major retailers of selling expired and contaminated food.
“Even Spar sells expired food, even Shoprite sells expired food,” he claimed.
Malema criticised the food inspection raids that have been conducted by government officials, mainly targeting spaza shops, and called for them to be conducted in large retail stores.
”These raids let not only them in the spaza shops, they must also go into the shops of white people who are feeding our children poison. Because we must never discriminate against anyone, we must fight anyone who's doing wrong to us,” Malema said.
“So fighters, a branch of the EFF has got a duty to inspect every spaza shop to make sure they comply and make sure they don't have expired food and in the process you must not extort us to use the name of the EFF.”
“They go into spaza shops demanding money pretending as if they want expired food, yet they want bribes. Not in the name of the EFF! In the EFF we don't want corruption,” Malema said to a clapping crowd.
Malema urged the people to protect their children amid the surge of the food poisoning crisis.
“Let’s make sure our children are safe in the world of South Africa, at school and even at home. We cannot allow a situation where our children die in their numbers and we're not doing anything,” Malema added.
Recently, an eight-year- old Grade 2 learner from Thabisile Primary School in Diepkloof, Soweto, died after reportedly consuming biscuits from a local spaza shop.
“Her condition reportedly worsened over the course of the next two days, and she was taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital on Friday, where she was tragically declared deceased,” the provincial department of education said in a statement.
“At this stage, the exact cause of her passing remains unclear. The relevant authorities are conducting investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident,” the department said.
In another incident, in the same area, but at a different school, the department has confirmed the death of a Grade R learner from Dumezweni Primary School in Diepkloof due to suspected food-borne illness.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane confirmed the five-year-old boy died, while a further three children from the same school have been hospitalised after experiencing similar symptoms.
The learners are a Grade R girl, a Grade 1 girl, and a boy in Grade 4.
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