Residents of Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, are demanding the closure of spaza shops operated by illegal immigrants following the tragic death of 11-year-old Lesedi Mulaudi.
Lesedi reportedly died after consuming poisonous snacks purchased from a spaza shop near her home on Saturday evening. Her mother, Maria, and her four-year-old sister, Fentse, who also ingested the same snacks, are currently recovering in hospital.
Medical authorities confirmed that Lesedi was declared dead shortly after arriving at a local clinic, while her mother and sister required urgent medical attention.
The community’s grief has turned into anger, prompting residents to take action against the spaza shops they believe pose a health risk.
Resident Mokgadi Machaba expressed the community’s frustration, stating: “We never slept last night after this incident. We have enough reputable retail shops that we can buy from without having to worry about being poisoned.”
On Sunday, the residents took to the streets in protest, leading to the closure of several spaza shops. Many community members voiced their concerns about food safety in these small convenience stores, often run by immigrants.
Refiloe Mogatsi, another local, shared her dismay, saying: “We are now tired of complaining about the same issue and want the illegal immigrants running some of these spaza shops to leave.”
The community is demanding transparency from shop owners, urging them to provide evidence of the goods sold and report any suspicious items that could endanger their families.
The Mulaudi family is now at the forefront of this community uprising, grappling with the sudden loss of Lesedi.
Terry Matsha, Lesedi’s aunt, recounted the heartbreaking moment when they arrived at the clinic.
“My brother arrived carrying Lesedi to the clinic. However, immediately after entering the clinic, we found that Lesedi had already passed away.
“She complained of chest pains and died almost immediately. It could have been a real disaster had they all died,” highlighting the potential scale of this tragedy.
In light of this incident, the Alexandra community is uniting to advocate for strict actions against illegal spaza shops that pose health and safety risks.
The palpable anger among residents has led to reports that more spaza shops will be closed down or destroyed.
This incident is part of a broader issue of food safety in South Africa, as seen in a recent spate of food poisoning cases across the country.
The Ndlovu family from the Cabhane village in uMzumbe, KwaZulu-Natal, is mourning the loss of three children who died after experiencing symptoms associated with food poisoning last week.
KZN Social Development spokesperson Thuba Vilane reported that the three children died while their grandmother was hospitalised for similar symptoms. | Additional reporting by Karen Singh
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za