Operation Dudula has vowed to shutdown of all spaza shops owned by non-South African in and around Naledi township in Soweto following the death of two children.
This comes after at least two children, Neo Khang and Leon Jele, died after eating biscuits bought from a from a spaza shop. Olwethu Zikhali and Katlego Mbatha remain in the intensive unit care at Chris-Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The children are aged four to six.
Operation Dudula member Davis Magolego said at least six spaza shops in Naledi were shut down since the news broke.
“We are willing to shut more local stores that are illegal and not owned by South Africans. You can imagine the pain and anger felt by these families,” said Magolego.
“Just a snack from the non-South African spaza shop cut the lives of these children short,” he said.
Magolego said communities had to take action to save more children and adults from a similar death.
Nthabiseng Khang, the aunt to two of the children, said her nephews went to play with two of their friends on Sunday afternoon. She said the two friends shared biscuits with her nephews.
Khang said she started getting nervous and worried when the children could not sleep on Sunday night, coughing and scratching their chests, and struggling to breathe.
She said one of the children could not even talk and suddenly turned pink.
He was declared dead on arrival at Zola Clinic on Sunday night. His cousin is still fighting for his life in hospital.
“These children shocked us because they were vomiting and had a problem with speech comprehension. We all realised that this was a life-or-death situation and that is when we rushed to our pastor asking that he drive us to the local clinic.
She said they realised that the other two had a similar problem. This triggered the families to get together and figure out what happened to their children.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said two inquest dockets have been opened after two kids aged five and six died at a clinic in Naledi on October 1.
“The cause of death is unknown at this stage pending postmortem results,” she said.
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