THE African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) has called for immediate government action to ban Terbufos insecticide following multiple deaths, including children, while highlighting the broader issues of toxic pesticide use in South African agriculture.
Terbufos insecticide is believed to be the root cause of the death of 8-year-old Azra Rahim’s from Brakpan. She died of food poisoning after eating a packet of chips alleged to have been contaminated with the insecticide.
Blood tests confirmed Terbufos in Azra’s bloodstream.
ACB, a research and advocacy organisation, said they had been studying Terbufos related deaths for a long time.
“The South African People’s Tribunal on AgroToxins will be held on the weekend of Human Rights Day (March 21) to expose the issues related to the extensive and casual use of agrotoxins in South Africa, and the lived reality of those who have suffered exposure, through affected people’s testimonies, expert testimonies and multimedia.”
The organisation said it had submitted a letter of demand to Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, asking him to immediately ban Terbufos.
“We called on the minister to indicate his willingness to undertake the steps set out in our letter within 21 days, failing which we reserve our rights to bring legal action to compel him to take these steps. We have since granted the department an extension to February 28 to respond to our letter.
“We've also launched a petition that seeks to hold the South African government and chemical industry to account for deaths and serious illnesses from toxic pesticides on the farm and in food. Our list of demands include banning Terbufos with immediate effect and that the government institute mechanisms for banning all highly hazardous pesticides within three months.”
In October last year, six children in Soweto died after eating snacks contaminated with Terbufos. This was confirmed by the Department of Health.
“The South African government was warned about deaths from pesticides, such as Terbufos, freely available on the street, in 2023 and 2024, by the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Dr Marcus Orellana. He even mentioned Terbufos by name in his report on toxins in SA released in July 2024.
“Research at a large Cape Town mortuary, published in 2023, showed that Terbufos was confirmed as the causative agent for more than 50% of child deaths in a 10-year review of child fatalities in which pesticide poisoning was suspected,” ACB said in a statement.
It said that Terbufos is one of over 9 000 toxic chemical compounds registered for use in South Africa on wine, maize and citrus farms, so farm workers were exposed to these daily.
“We demand that our government takes responsibility for pesticide poisoning on the farms and in the street. The government is under a Constitutional duty to take up the regulatory reins to ensure our Constitutional rights to health and the right to a healthy environment.”