The death of a four-year old girl, who died after allegedly consuming food from a tuckshop in Bloemanda, Kimberley must be treated as a provincial priority to prevent further loss of life.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) today visited the family of the deceased girl, whose uncle is currently in a critical condition in hospital, to extend our condolences. We are deeply saddened by the incident and call on the Health Department, in conjunction with South African Police Service, to leave no stone unturned in the ensuing investigation.
We further appreciate that an informal council meeting was called by Sol Plaatje municipality today. We will comply with the request made to councillors to submit lists of tuckshops in their wards to the Speaker’s office. We will also avail ourselves to participate in scheduled oversight inspections.
In relation to tomorrow’s stakeholder meeting for the “Safer City” programme, the DA will request the Mayor to also extend an invitation to customs and excise officials from the South African Revenue Service to help deal with illegal goods, in addition to all relevant provincial and local departments. We further want terms of references for the upcoming tuckshop inspections to include location details, in relation to proximity of sewerage spills, illegal dump sites and electricity kiosks. The latter follows the electrocution of a learner outside a school last week.
While the enforcement of environmental health regulations has been neglected over the years, Sol Plaatje municipality needs to own up to its longstanding failures and action an urgent and comprehensive plan to ensure that our children are safe and have access to safe consumables.
As emotions in Bloemanda run the high, the DA also calls on communities to remain calm, take necessary precautions and ensure that their actions in response to this tragic incident, are within the confines of the law.