(Bloomberg) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled a plan to remove harmful pesticides from the streets and shops, following the death of 22 children nationwide as a result of food poisoning.
According to Ramaphosa, township convenience stores, known as “spaza shops,” which have been implicated in the deaths of children will be closed with immediate effect, while all other food handling facilities will need to be registered with their local governments within the next 21 days.
“Any shop that is not registered within 21 days and does not meet all health standards and requirements will be closed,” Ramaphosa said in a televised address Friday.
The interventions come after as many as 890 incidents of food-born illnesses were reported across the country’s nine provinces, and after at least 22 children died as a result of food poisoning.
The deaths have been linked to food bought from small convenience stores in townships, some of which contained traces of Terbufos, a toxic chemical compound used in insecticides. According to Ramaphosa, the chemical was being sold for general household use.
Ramaphosa said registered manufacturers of Terbufos will now be inspected to ensure products are no longer diverted to be used for non-agricultural purposes.
“Regulations and protocols on traceability, repackaging and destruction and sale of pesticides, insecticides and foodstuffs will be strengthened,” Ramaphosa said.
Five of the nation’s nine provinces have recorded fatalities and hospitalizations traced back to food bought from local vendors.
Officials have conducted a series of raids on the stores, confiscating expired food items they found on the shelves, while reviewing rules governing how often health inspectors visit such establishments.
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