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Expired food was dumped in Lwandle township near Somerset West causing residents, who ate the food to beome ill. Picture by: Sam Clark
More than 100 residents of the Pholile Park informal settlement near Strand had to be admitted to hospital with food poisoning at the weekend after they had consumed expired food dumped there.
The City of Cape Town’s health department wants the police to investigate.
Pholile Park community leader Siphe Kaka said: “On Thursday morning, a white truck came into the area and just dumped the food. There were jams, biscuits, sweets etc. People rushed to get to the food and it was later that day when many got ill - especially children. On Friday and Saturday, more became ill and today another 40 people got sick.”
He said ambulances came and went all weekend as residents fell ill, vomited and had skin rashes due to food poisoning. The food they had consumed had expired as far back as 2007, Kaka said.
Resident Simphiwe Mafilika said: “On Friday, I drank apple juice I picked up and yesterday (on Saturday) at 4pm I became very sick. I had severe cramps and a runny tummy, but no vomiting. It was terrible, but I was fortunate not have been taken to hospital.”
City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said 151 residents were affected. Some were treated on the scene while others were taken to hospital.
“This morning, 43 were taken to hospital and this afternoon another 60. We investigated the food and found a leaflet that showed the items came from a place Simply Value Factory Food Shop.”
He said the city’s health department would lodge criminal complaints because the items were supposed to be disposed of at a proper dump site.
“This was not done. Our health department inspectors have taken samples of the foods for testing and we have dumped the remainder of the items. The department will tomorrow make a case with the police,” he said.
Simply Value Factory Food Shop manager Santa Kotze had told authorities that H Hearn Refuse Removal had been contracted to properly dispose of the expired foods.
H Hearn Refuse Removal manager Henry Hearn said last night he did not have a contract with Kotze. His company’s vehicle was used and a Pholile Park casual labourer persuaded the driver to take the food items to his home in the informal settlement as he wanted to open a spaza shop.
“When people got sick police called me to come and remove the stuff. I removed 14 refuse bags and I warned the casual.
“I only provided the transport. My staff are on holiday. The casuals were picked up along the road,” he said.
About expired food items, Hearn said: “The driver and the casual called me to say they are taking it to his place. They would have taken it to Stellenbosch (landfill site), but people passing by with trolleys said they normally get (expired) stuff there (at Simply Value Factory Food Shop). I personally ate a packet of monkeys (peanuts).”
Messages for Kotze were not returned. Lwandle police spokesman Mthokozisi Gama said concerned residents had alerted police and taken items to the police station.
“No case has been opened as one has lodged any complaints,” he said.
Said Kaka: “Somebody must be held responsible for this. They can’t just come and dispose of old food in a community that is poor and desperate. People here suffer a lot from poverty and the last thing we need is for them to be given food that makes them sick.” - Cape Times
aziz.hartley@inl.co.za
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Anonymous, wrote
so what is the real story. http:www.iol.co.zanewssouth-africawestern-cape150-poisoned-after-eating-dumped-food-1.1009865 reports it slightly differently, and the motive may have been for profit??
Nikki, wrote
This is so sad... It's easy for well-fed people to say the eaters were stupid... and these people are starving. Oh how I wish some people can just go out & experience what it feels like to live like that, before opening their big mouths!
jason, wrote
@Simon I fully agree!
Lesego, wrote
come on guys, how is a kid suppossed to know how to check an expiriry date, lets be realistic, kids who are disadvantaged cant and wont check for expiriry dated whaen they are hungry, i blame the people who dumped the expired food there.
LizzyE, wrote
Desperation, hunger and poverty is a cruel thing! I feel so sorry for these people, most of all, the children who always suffer most! It's a case of someone trying to exploit the already exploited!! I have to agree, if the government keeps its promises and uplifts the poor, this kind of thing may not occur! But in stead, they throw lavish parties! Sickening!
Anonymous, wrote
Juan,If you want to blame some one blame the Simply Value Factory Food Shop not the ANC.
mazee, wrote
This is really sick, you'd really think that they wanted to kill them...what's sickening is the one who also wanted to open a spaza shop with expired things....some people have no sense and just taking advantage of the poor ike this they will see their day sooner than they imagined
schalk vdmerwe, wrote
I am sure you are all concerned in your own way and this I like.I have just started my website billionmouths.org I invite you all to visit comment add your bit and help me,give constructive idea's become involved I have plenty room for you all.Try it thx's
V3, wrote
KarenC: What Kaka said makes sense. When people live on or below starvation level, the last thing they will do (or have the education to do) is check for expiry dates on "free" food. For them, a truck arriving and dumping food is "being given food". Kaka is saying that dumping the food there is irresponsible. He is right; it is illegal too - and for a reason.
schalk vdmerwe, wrote
Take note that they mybe cant read,when food gets dumped the see only one thing free food.The Rubbish Dump People as I call them make there living out of recycling plastic steel etc,it is there life style poor of the poor.I work with them but at a diff dump they need help,the waist must be disposed of to keep the cities clean and healthy,it all comes down to poverty hunger and education,this my dear friends is what is laging in RSA and the rest of the world.
cmonh, wrote
im sorry but where are these peoples brains? How can you simply pick up dumped food and ASSUME it is ok for eating! There is a reason for best before dates on food! If it was dumped then you can use your own common sense that it wasnt good for selling, you shouldnt eat it then!
schalk vdmerwe, wrote
We all should do something about this,go down to the dumps and see for yourself,open your eyes they live there collect plastic,steel etc recycle goods that we all should do.For a few rands a day.All for to servive see billionmouths.org
Wesley, wrote
I see a lot of comments on what *Mark said,"if you eat dumped food , it`s your own stupidity if you get food poisoning." He is right, yes, these people might be hungry, but what is overlooked her is that this food was originally destined for a dump, until presumably a community member asked for it to be dumped in this Township, where he was planning on selling it to this community. Why don't we charge him? The reason the government needs to be mentioned is that if they were doing ther Job, these people would not be starving. The truck driver should have said no, but it's not his fault. Ultimate cause of this incident is hungry mouths, and that's due to our Unemployment statistics and that's the governments fault.
charpatter, wrote
Why was food that expired in 2007 only being dumped now? Was it on the shelves at this shop or stored somewhere?
Xolani, wrote
@KarenC why do we have to blame the gov for this? It's the shop owner that was supposed to make sure that his waste is properly disposed off. The Gov had nothing to do with this, even the adults that consumed this food acted stupidly and they also put their kids at risk.
muslim, wrote
Juan, this story is very sensitive, all you can think about is the ANC's promises?people are sick!
Anonymous, wrote
@ Juan: Your comment does not have a basis. No one mentioned that the people who ate the food voted for the ANC. Surely not everything is about the ANC.
Anonymous, wrote
If you have never been really hungry (I am not talking 1 day hungry) you will call people eating dumped food off the dump stupid. Fact is I have eaten dumped food and yes I was desperate NOT STUPID. That is why I do not laugh at the poor and the desperate.
schalk vdmerwe, wrote
see billionmouths.org rubbish dump people
Simon, wrote
I am sorry, but everyone involved here appears to be a idiot..! The dumpers and the eaters..!
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