No poison in chips allegedly eaten by Mossel Bay schoolchildren before they fell ill – Health inspectors

CAPE TOWN - Garden Route environmental health inspectors have concluded their investigation into an incident in Mossel Bay, in which nine children fell ill, apparently after eating chips bought from spaza shops and vendors near their school.

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The incident was reported on 18 November amidst hundreds of cases of food contamination country-wide, and the deaths of at least 23 children - some who were confirmed to have died of poisoning linked to the agricultural pesticide terbufos.

Garden Route Mayor Andrew Stroebel said toxicology analysis confirmed no traces of toxic chemicals were present in any of the batches of chips.

Environmental health practitioners concluded there was no evidence that the chips caused the learners to become sick.