Growing calls for stricter food regulations
There are growing calls for stricter food regulations by the government after five children in Soweto died, allegedly from food poisoning.
It's believed they consumed snacks bought at a spaza shop in Naledi at the weekend.
A sixth child is said to be in a critical state in hospital.
It comes two weeks after three children in the Eastern Cape reportedly died after consuming porridge from a store in Mdantsane.
The vanilla-flavoured range has since been recalled for investigations.
READ: Food safety concern after children die from suspected food poisoning
African Transformation Movement spokesperson Zama Ntshona says the government still needs to employ more qualified practitioners to monitor food safety.
"It baffles us that there would be qualified, unemployed graduates that deal with matters of environmental health.”
Ntshona says there should be harsher penalties for those who sell hazardous products.
"We urge the government to enhance the health education on food safety and improve surveillance strategies to address the alarming rate that of food-borne diseases in South Africa."
