Ntokozo Khumalo10 April 2025 | 5:35

Soweto family opens case after son hospitalised from eating snacks bought at spaza shop

The boy has since been in critical condition at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where, his mother said, his heart had stopped beating a couple of times.

Soweto family opens case after son hospitalised from eating snacks bought at spaza shop

Tshidi Molobela, the mother of a 8-year-old boy that who allegedly consumed rat poisoning from a local spaza shop. Picture: Simphiwe Nkosi/Eyewitness News

JOHANNESBURG - Thursday marks four days since a little boy from Soweto was admitted to the ICU after eating snacks he bought from a local tuck shop.

Tshidi Molobela from Mapetla said that her son was first taken to the Chiawelo clinic on Friday after he started vomiting and losing mobility.

The boy has since been in critical condition at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where, his mother said, his heart had stopped beating a couple of times.

ALSO READ: Boy (8) hospitalised after eating snacks from Mapetla spaza shop

The last Friday of the school holidays for the Molobela family turned into a nightmare.

The eight-year-old’s mom said the children in their family home had gone to the local store to buy a few items as usual.

She said that her son became ill after he had consumed some chips he and his siblings had bought.

"He was purple on the stomach and some green from there. He could not speak anymore, nothing at all. Doctor immediately said: 'You know what? We suspect poison. We're going to send him to Bara Hospital,'" said Tshidi.

The family has opened a case against the spaza shop owner at the Moroko Police Station.