SA govt ignored warning about food contamination related to pesticides: Food safety expert

CAPE TOWN - A food safety expert says the South African government was warned about a potential food crisis related to pesticides but did nothing. 
 
Laboratory tests recently revealed a highly toxic pesticide known as Terbufos is responsible for the deaths of more than 20 children across the country. 
 
It's understood the pesticide was being used in spaza shops to keep insects away from supplies. 

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Food safety expert professor Lucia Anelich said the government allowed the crisis to unfold despite being warned. 
 
"We've known about these illegal pesticides for years in the communities... there has been a report in 2010 already that made it very clear that this is a type of an epidemic that's waiting to happen," Anelich said.
 
Anelich stressed the importance of having spaza shops registered and urged the government to create a plan to get to the bottom of the crisis.
 
"We need to have them registered so that they are formalised in terms of knowing where they are, who owns them, who runs them and then hopefully there will also be a plan and a program to understand where they are getting their supplies from," she said.
 
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said there was no indication the pesticide came from local manufacturers.