Soweto — The Diepkloof community in Soweto is reeling after a five-year-old boy died after allegedly eating snacks bought from a spaza shop in the area.
The child was taken to a local clinic to receive medical treatment, but he died on Wednesday. According to Gauteng Police spokesperson, Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the cause of death is still unknown, EWN reported.
“According to reports, the child was vomiting and had a runny stomach before being taken to a local clinic where he was declared dead. The cause of death is unknown at this stage, pending autopsy results,” Nevhuhulwi said.
This is the current situation in Diepkloof, Soweto where an alleged food poisoning incident claimed the life of a five-year-old boy. Three other young boys are in a critical condition in hospital. Police say the child was vomiting and had a runny stomach. @SowetanLIVE pic.twitter.com/lZ9x7GzmWe
— Jeanette Chabalala (@J_chabalala) November 21, 2024
According to eNCA, the boy and his friends bought snacks from a spaza shop that has since been shut down by the community members. The other boys are in hospital and believed to be in a critical position. One community member, Oupa Motsubele, expressed concern about the rising food poisoning cases in the community.
“What concerns us is that children are dying unnecessarily. Firstly, it’s from the community intake, because we closed these spaza shops as early as the 29th of October, trying to alert the communities that we don’t want people to die after the Naledi incident,” he said.
He added that the spaza shop in question had been closed four times and it was disappointing that the landlord allowed the shop to continue to operate. He said that “prevention is better than cure” and so far has failed to spread that message to other areas to close up shop.
#eNCA reporter @HeidiGiokos is in Diepkloof, Soweto, where police say they’ve opened an inquest after a 5-year-old boy died. The boy’s death is linked to the alleged chemical poisoning in food. #DStv403 #QuestionThinkAct #NewsLink pic.twitter.com/bDSdDClKai
— eNCA (@eNCA) November 21, 2024
According to SowetanLIVE, Gloria Gololo said she had been renting out the space for 10 years for R2,800 a month and had never experienced any issues until now.
“This child is my neighbour, I know his mother and grandmother. Yesterday, I heard that the child had eaten poison and that he had died. I am still shocked by all this,” she said.
She explained that her tenants asked her for her ID so they could register the spaza shop and she complied. However, she now wants them gone following the tragic incident.
“I don’t want them in my yard anymore. I don’t know if it’s the love of money but we’ve been hearing these stories from other areas in Soweto children are dying. I took them in and allowed them to operate because I was getting something,” she said.
WATCH | Gloria Gololo who has been renting out her space for spaza shops in Diepkloof says a little boy’s uncle came to her yard, went to the spaza shop and tried to break the door open. He told her that the boy died after eating snacks he bought from the spaza shop.
Video:… pic.twitter.com/0HFE06KIow
— Sowetan LIVE (@SowetanLIVE) November 21, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
