16 Tembisa school children rushed to hospital after eating achaar
16 Tembisa school children rushed to hospital after eating achaar! At least 16 children were rushed to different hospitals after falling ill from consuming achaar they had purchased at Emmangweni Primary School in Tembisa, Gauteng.
The incident, which has raised concerns about food safety in schools, occurred shortly after the school’s morning break.
According to the Gauteng Department of Education, the students, aged between 11 and 15, started feeling unwell after the break, complaining of dizziness and vomiting.
Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, provided more details, explaining that around 11 a.m., a group of learners reported to the school office after experiencing symptoms indicative of a foodborne illness.
“Upon investigation, it was discovered that they had consumed achaar, which they bought from other learners at the school,” said Chiloane.
The achaar had been sold by two Grade 7 learners on behalf of a woman who is a member of the Community Work Programme (CWP), a government initiative aimed at providing job opportunities through community service. This revelation has prompted further investigation into the source and safety of the food in question.
Emergency services responded swiftly to the situation. Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported the 16 affected children to various medical facilities in the area. Parents were notified immediately and accompanied their children to the hospitals for treatment.
Chiloane provided an update on the learners’ conditions, confirming that 10 of the affected children had been stabilized and subsequently discharged.
However, three learners remain under observation at Tembisa Hospital, while another three are receiving medical care at Esangweni Clinic. “Their condition is being monitored, and they are receiving the necessary medical attention,” he said.
The cause of the illness is still under investigation, as officials work to determine the specific reasons behind the contamination of the food.
Chiloane assured the public that the safety of the students is the department’s top priority. “The department is working closely with health authorities to address the situation and ensure it does not happen again,” he said.
Authorities are conducting thorough investigations into the origin and handling of the achaar, as well as the role of the woman involved in selling the food. It remains unclear whether the product was prepared under safe and hygienic conditions or whether it was stored appropriately before being sold to the students.
Chiloane also expressed concern over the rising number of foodborne illness cases being reported in schools across the province.
“The health and safety of our learners is our highest priority. We are working closely with authorities to fully investigate the cause of this incident,” he said, adding that schools must be places of safety and protection, where the health of children is safeguarded at all times.
The incident at Emmangweni Primary School is not an isolated case, and it highlights the need for stringent regulations and monitoring of food sold or distributed within school premises.
This event has raised broader questions about food safety standards in schools, particularly regarding informal food vending on or near school grounds.
The involvement of children in selling food raises significant concerns, as it points to a lack of oversight and regulation. Schools, parents, and authorities must work together to ensure that food sold to students is safe and properly monitored to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The department has pledged to take decisive action to avoid any recurrence of such events, reiterating its commitment to the well-being of students. This includes possibly tightening restrictions on who can sell food on school premises and implementing more thorough checks on the types of food being sold.
As investigations continue, the affected families and school community are anxiously awaiting further updates on the students still under medical care.
Meanwhile, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and health of all learners and preventing any future foodborne illness outbreaks in Gauteng schools.
-IOL
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