Foodborne Illness Affects 110 Learners in Katlehong

Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture & Recreation, Mr. Matome Chiloane, has expressed concern, following a troubling foodborne illness outbreak at Tamaho Primary School in Katlehong, which affected 110 learners.

According to reports, the learners began experiencing symptoms, including stomach cramps and vomiting, shortly after consuming samp served during break time on Wednesday, November 6.

Emergency medical services promptly arrived on the scene, transporting the affected learners to various clinics and hospitals for urgent medical care.

As of Wednesday evening, 98 of the affected learners had been discharged after receiving treatment, while 12 remain hospitalized under medical supervision. Healthcare teams are closely monitoring these cases to ensure their safe recovery.

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH), is actively investigating the cause of the incident. In a statement, the GDE pledged to maintain a safe environment for all learners, noting that psycho-social support would be provided to those affected and their families.

“It is alarming to witness such cases of foodborne illness affecting our learners. The safety and wellbeing of our learners is our highest priority, and we are committed to working closely with health authorities to understand and address the root causes of these incidents. We wish all recovering learners a speedy return to good health,” said Chiloane.

This incident adds to a worrying trend of similar cases in the Katlehong area, where learners have recently been hospitalized after consuming contaminated food purchased from local vendors.

Earlier this week, more than 30 learners from Setsing and De Bryn Primary Schools in the Kathorus area, required medical treatment after allegedly eating snacks sold by vendors near their schools.

Tragically, two siblings from Sonqoba Primary School, Owami Xaba (6) and Hope Xaba (9), lost their lives last week after allegedly consuming contaminated snacks bought from a spaza shop. Additionally, Lwethu Sikonde, a 10-year-old learner from Kwanele Primary School, also died recently after reportedly drinking juice purchased from a vendor.

These cases have heightened concerns about food safety standards around Gauteng schools. MEC Chiloane underscored the importance of collaborating with health officials and local authorities to address the root causes of these foodborne illnesses, adding that further measures may be introduced to protect learners.

The GDE and GDoH are expected to release additional information as the investigation into the incident at Tamaho Primary proceeds. In the meantime, community members and school authorities are being urged to exercise vigilance in monitoring the sources and quality of food provided to learners.