The Alexandra ghetto community in South Africa is reeling from the death of an 11-year-old girl who allegedly consumed poisoned snacks purchased from a local tuckshop owned by Zimbabwean nationals.
The tragedy has ignited widespread anger and calls for the closure of foreign-owned businesses in the area, while the shop owners have vanished, reportedly filing a police report elsewhere. The incident has also left the girl’s mother and younger sibling hospitalised in critical condition.
The deceased child’s father provided a heartbreaking account of the events leading to his daughter’s death.
“My 11-year-old girl complained about the taste of the snack and asked her mom to taste. By the time their mom tasted it, the four-year-old had already eaten the snack. After an hour my daughter came from the toilet complaining about chest pains. We took her to Masakhane Clinic and on the way she was unable to breathe.
“When we got to the clinic, I dropped her at the emergency room, but shortly after that, we were called to be informed of her passing. While still there, their mother complained about stomach pains, she was admitted. I called a neighbour to assist in transporting my four-year-old boy whom we left home so that he could get medical attention as well. They were both taken to Edenvale hospital. Their mother is in a critical condition,” he recounted.
Following the tragedy, community members rushed to the spaza shop, only to discover that the owners had already fled. Reports suggest they went to a separate police station to file a report, leaving the community in shock and anger. The landlord of the premises expressed deep sadness and confusion over the incident.
“No parent deserves to lose a child. To be honest, I don’t even know the day-to-day runnings of the shop and also don’t know where they buy their stock. I’ve been trying to call them to come back because they’ve been operating this shop for a while and we’ve never had problems. Although I’ve never seen their documentation, they told me that they are legal in the country as they are from Zimbabwe. They need to come back and show us where they buy stock,” she stated.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has appealed for calm while investigations are underway. SAPS spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi stated, “An inquest case is currently being investigated following the incident. A team of police investigators in collaboration with health experts and other role players will be investigating the allegations made concerning the food consumed by the victims before falling ill.”
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, reinforced this call for calm, urging the community to allow investigators to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.
“We have established a team of experts that are working with our partners in government to investigate the death. We also extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased child and wish a swift recovery to the mother and the other child,” he added.
