Lesufi pleads for community's calm in Soweto amid suspected fatal food poisoning
This after residents stormed several foreign-owned spaza shops in the area amid suspicion that the five victims died after consuming snacks from a local store.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi (centre) and the provinces Education MEC Matome Chiloane left visit the families of children who died after allegedly eating snacks from a spaza shop in Soweto. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - Following tensions in the Naledi community in Soweto, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has pleaded with angry residents not to take matters into their own hands over the death of five children.
This after residents stormed several foreign owned spaza shops in the area amid suspicion that the five victims died after consuming snacks from a local store.
While the exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed by autopsy results the community has blamed shop owners for the tragedy.
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Lesufi addressed the media outside the home of one of the grieving families a short while ago.
A Soweto spaza shop accused of selling snacks to five children before they died was reportedly given the given the green light to operate by the city of Johannesburg in August last year.
The victims died on Sunday while another child, Katlego Olifant is fighting for his life at a local private hospital.
Despite concerns by the community Health and Social Development MMC Ennie Makhafola says the spaza shop was above board and compliant.
Makhafola outlined the number of spaza shops inspected in Naledi.
"So far, the spaza shops that we have closed, I think it was around almost 50-something. But remember, once we close down a spaza shop today...they go and rent it out to someone else without the acknowledgement of the municiplaity," she said, noting this is a "challenge".
When asked about the results of the children who died in Naledi last year under similar circumstances, she said: "In the incident that happens last year, we did take samples on the snacks and we found out that those snacks are not the cause of death of those children..."