​The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) calls on parents and caregivers to exercise extreme caution to ensure the safety of their children. This comes after the surge in the number of food poisoning cases affecting children particularly in townships, informal settlements and hostels (TISH) communities. 
On Thursday night (29 August 2024), two incidents were reported at Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH) in Tshwane and Jabulani Dumane Community Health Centre (CHC) in Ekurhuleni respectively. 
Two boys who are siblings aged 4 and 6 years old demised after they suffered from a suspected foodborne illness. They had earlier shared a common meal (pap and soup) at home. The 4-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at DGMAH while his brother, the 6-year-old, was unresponsive, foaming through the mouth and nostrils and eventually succumbed to the illness. Another 3-year-old boy who is a cousin to the two was brought to the hospital with them, even though he did not consume the same food, was discharged after observation as he remained asymptomatic. 
On the same night, in a separate incident, three children aged 3, 5 and 6 years from Vosloorus were brought to Jabulani Dumane CHC presenting with symptoms of vomiting and body weakness. Two children (3 & 5 years who are neighbours) died on arrival, while the 6-year-old was resuscitated and taken to Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital for further medical care. He remains very critical.
Upon further investigation it was discovered that a 28-years-old male who happens to be an uncle to two of the children (3 & 6 years old) had shared potato chips with the three children. He was later admitted at Thelle Mogoerane following symptoms of food poisoning. He was discharged on Friday morning (30 August) after observation. 
A total of 207 food poisoning cases affecting children have been reported across the province since the beginning of February 2024 which have unfortunately resulted in 10 deaths. Most of these incidents saw Ekurhuleni district recording 119 cases with 04 deaths, followed by Johannesburg with 40 cases, Tshwane had 31 cases resulting in 03 deaths, while West Rand district had 14 cases and Sedibeng district has 3 cases and 3 deaths.
"The Department is deeply concerned with the rising incidents of the deaths of children related to foodborne illnesses. We are working closely with multiple stakeholders and the Gauteng Department of Education to heighten awareness in TISH communities and conduct health education sessions in schools targeting learners, school vendors. These sessions focus on the importance of hand hygiene, proper food handling and preparation, water hygiene, clean environments, sanitation, food expiry dates amongst other topics," explains Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. 
The MEC further called on parents and guardians to take greater responsibility by educating their children to be careful about what they consume. "The whole of society needs to play an active role in this area including discouraging illegal dumping as this also poses a threat to human health, leading to various diseases and illnesses." 
Environmental health teams working with local municipalities continue to conduct inspections in communities and encouraging small business operators in TISH communities to apply for compliance certificates and to ensure that they have proper zoning certificates. Non-compliant vendors identified during the inspections are issued with fines and prohibition notices, some of them are closed by the local authorities.
The GDoH continues to call on municipalities to intensify their efforts in enforcing the bylaws to ensure that local shops comply with hygiene standards to avoid potential contamination of food items.