Lack of strict access control led to terbufos getting to spaza shops, street vendors – Agriculture Dept

JOHANNESBURG - The Department of Agriculture said "lack of controls" from manufacturers and distributors led to the harmful pesticide terbufos finding its way to spaza shops and street vendors.

Terbufos has been directly linked to the deaths of six children in 2024 in Naledi, Soweto.

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The pesticide is primarily used by farmers to control insects and roundworms in maize, potatoes, and citrus.

However, it has found its way to urban areas, as people use it to deal with rat infestations.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, the director at agriculture inputs control, Jonathan Mudzunga, said investigations to trace the source of the illicit trade of terbufos were still ongoing.  

"There is a lack of strict access control by the manufacturer and the distributor. Remember, I have indicated that we have got a regulatory framework that requires them to manage the product in a particular way because these are very highly hazardous products. So, there is non-compliance with the current regulatory framework."