Gauteng Education Dept directs schools to suspend the sale of food in and around buildings

JOHANNESBURG – Schools in Gauteng have been ordered to suspend the sale of food in and around their premises as the number of poisoning cases increases.

There has been a surge in deaths and hospitalizations, especially of children, due to contaminated food sold by spaza shops.

The Gauteng Education Department said it is taking immediate action to protect the health and wellbeing of students.

MEC Matome Chiloane said the suspension will last until the end of the 2024 academic year.

“We have come to the decision to stop this process… of shopkeepers and vendors around the school premises and urge parents to actually start preparing meals for their children and for those in quintile 1,2, 3, of course , there is school nutrition that is a facility for students in all those schools.”