Food safety concern after children die from suspected food poisoning
There are growing calls for government, retailers, and consumers to work together to strengthen food safety measures.
This after the tragic deaths of three children in the Eastern Cape in a suspected food poisoning incident.
The two one-year-olds and a four-year-old died last week after eating porridge brought from a Spar store in Mdantsane.
The retail giant has since recalled Top Score Vanilla-flavoured Instant Maize Porridge and removed the Namibian-produced product from its shelves nationally.
Manufacturer Namib Mills says it's investigating.
Last month, Checkers and some OK Foods stores issued a voluntary recall of certain Deli hummus tubs due to bacterial contamination.
READ: Checkers recalls Deli hummus products
Zama Ntshona, who's with the African Transformation Movement, says the latest incident highlights serious gaps in our food safety systems.
"We as society must come together and prohibit such incidences from happening in the near future.
“We are deeply concerned about the effectiveness of our food safety regulations and accountability of major retailers on this matter.
“It is truly unacceptable that these brands neglect basic health standards, jeopardising public health and eroding community trust."
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