The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the SAPS, is investigating an incident that occurred on Monday at Ngaqa Primary School in Mtubatuba where multiple pupils became ill after consuming snacks purchased from a vendor outside the school’s premises.
Education department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said 43 pupils from the school had been affected.
“As the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal, we can confirm that the incident of food poisoning did happen yesterday (Monday) at a school called Ngaqa Primary School,” he said.
Mahlambi stated the pupils were taken to a local clinic and released after receiving medical treatment.
He said tests would be conducted at a laboratory regarding the source of the poisoning.
“We are working together with the Department of Health and the police.
Once the report comes back, the police will then be able to take the process forward in terms of working on that report,” he said.
The incident is one of a series of alleged food poisoning incidents that have occurred in recent weeks.
Last week, 25 primary school pupils from Mshuluzane Mayisela Primary School were admitted to a hospital in Bronkhorstspruit after eating snacks they bought from a street vendor.
Also six pupils from different schools in Naledi, Soweto, died allegedly after consuming food purchased from a spaza shop.
These incidents have shone a spotlight on food safety with calls for government to take action in addressing this issue.
The national Department of Health, in a statement on Sunday, said after collaborating with other bodies they had concluded that a chemical agent may be behind the Gauteng food poisoning incidents. It said environmental inspectors among others were trying to identify the agent.
The Department of Health referred “The Mercury” to its provincial department for comment regarding the recent incident in KZN.
The Mercury