As the country grapples with deadly cases of food poisoning, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane, has classified the crisis as a national disaster in terms of section 23 of the disaster management act 57 of 2002.
A number of new measures are being implemented at national government level to fight the crisis.
New task team established, regulations amended
As part of this, a special ministerial task team has also been appointed to address the problem. The task team is dubbed the Ministerial Advisory Committee.
It will be responsible for developing medium- to long-term prevention measures to curb the incidents of foodborne illnesses in the country.
The minister said the Department of Health is currently amending the Notifiable Medical Conditions Regulations. This such that the death of anyone 12 years and younger becomes notifiable/flagged.
Simelane announced this during media briefing held in Pretoria on Thursday.
This after numerous reports of foodborne illnesses that have claimed the lives of more than 20 people, mainly children, since the beginning of the year.
The recent uptick in foodborne illnesses across the country has resulted in President Cyril Ramaphosa stepping in. He recently announced that government has taken steps to address the growing problem.
One of the steps is to shut down all the spaza shops where the culprit snacks were bought from.
Spaza shops overhaul underway
All spaza shop owners/operators are also to register their businesses within 21 days. ANC general secretary Fikile Mbalula also suggested that these businesses should be reserved for locals. This as foreign nationals have taken up operations of most of these spaza shops throughout the country.
Since September, at least 890 incidents of foodborne illnesses have been reported.
According to Simelane, measures to standardise municipal by-laws regulating businesses will be advanced. This will be in an effort to clamp down on the problem.
“The implementation of the standard by-laws for rural and township economies, which among others, advocate for mandatory proper waste disposal and recycling practices to ensure that business areas are free from obstructions and pollutants, will be expedited.
“This will also go a long way in dealing with the issue of rat infestations in our communities. [The infestation] gives rise to the harmful use of dangerous and banned chemicals like pesticides,” she said.
She further said a number of Municipal Councils around the country have already adopted standard by-laws.
“We urge other municipalities who are yet to adopt the by-laws to urgently do so, to assist the compliance process and save lives,” she said.
Simelane said the issue of shortage of environmental health inspectors is receiving urgent attention. This to capacitate all districts and metropolitan municipalities to effectively enforce inspections across the country.
Special ministerial task team
Additionally, a team of health experts who will serve in the Ministerial Advisory Committee is being appointed.
She stated that the committee is expected to develop medium-to-long-term prevention measures to curb the incidents of foodborne illnesses in the country.
“The directive to notify the deaths of patients 12 years and below is a critical one. It will be implemented as a matter of urgency. This will help us to understand the burden of disease and the population at risk in real time. Instead of waiting for a long period of time.
“The Department of Health is currently amending the Notifiable Medical Conditions Regulations. This such that the death of anybody 12 years and younger becomes notifiable. The Regulations may be published based on the State of Disaster being declared by the Minister of Cogta.”
Meanwhile, media reports on Thursday said a five-year-old child had died after consuming snacks from a spaza shop in Diepkloof, Soweto.
