JOHANNESBURG – While police continue an investigation into what killed a 10-year-old Alexandra girl, there have been calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in issues surrounding spaza shops.
On Saturday, 10-year-old Lesedi Maaboi died after complaining of chest pains shortly after she allegedly consumed chips from a spaza shop near her home.
Gauteng MEC for Finance, Lebogang Maile, said a state of emergency may need to be declared regarding the issues around spaza shops.
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Dozens of children in townships across the country have recently died in what people believe is a spate of food contamination incidents.
This follows reports that the victims all consumed food from their local spaza shops.
The latest incident of Maaboi saw her mother and four-year-old brother hospitalised after also falling ill.
Speaking to the media outside the Maaboi home on Monday afternoon, Maile said the issues surrounding spaza shops needed urgent attention.
“The president might have to just declare it as a state of emergency. We have to do something drastic. It doesn’t help that we talk and only act when there’s an incident like this.”
He added that the provincial government was extremely worried.
“It can’t be that every week we bury a child because of the lawlessness and activities taking place in these spaza shops in the townships.”
Police are investigating an inquest to determine what killed Maaboi.
Orrin Singh
www.ewn.co.za
