Ramaphosa points to poor waste management, rat infestation as reasons for use of pesticides

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has pointed to poor waste management and rat infestation as he flags the use of harmful pesticides across several communities in the country. 

Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Friday night in the face of rising cases of children dying from foodborne illnesses. 

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He said in order to address the crisis sufficiently, there needs to be an understanding of why highly hazardous substances like Terbufos and Aldicarb are used regularly. 

Without a sense of irony, Ramaphosa sought to list various factors which contributed to the tragedy which has befallen the country’s children. 

“Responsibility for environmental health that should happen in our communities is the responsibility of local government. Many municipalities do not have the capacity and resources to conduct inspections of these businesses and enforce regulations.”

He’s also cited the lack of refuse collection and regular cleaning of streets as part of the cause, saying this has created conditions for rats and other pests to thrive, which results in communities turning to dangerous toxins as they look for a quick fix. 

“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.”

South Africans will have to rely on the same local government, which has been ordered to urgently clean cities and towns as well as remove waste. 

The president said failure to comply will result in strict sanctions and criminal enforcement.