Spaza snack scare: Boy battles for survival in ICU

CoGTA

Cape Town – Co-operative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has confirmed that an eight-year-old boy, who allegedly consumed contaminated snacks in Soweto, is receiving top medical care.

The child remains in the ICU at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.

According to EWN, his mother, Tshidi Molobela, said he initially fell ill on Friday last week, experiencing vomiting and loss of mobility before being taken to Chiawelo Clinic.

He was later transferred to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where his condition became critical, and his heart stopped multiple times.

Doctors suspect poisoning.

The family has filed a case against the spaza shop owner at Moroko Police Station, the report said.

Hlabisa, along with Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, visited the boy in hospital on Friday and inspected the spaza shop in Mapetla, Soweto, where the snacks were bought, SABC News reported. 

“Some samples of the snacks have been sent to the laboratory because it is not the first child affected having consumed these snacks and we are happy that the process is at a laboratory level, once the results come back we will clear any challenge around the snacks,” the report quoted Hlabisa as saying.

Authorities await the results to determine the extent of the issue.

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