- Food Poisoning Outbreak at Gobisizwe Agricultural School: The EFF in the Eastern Cape has raised concerns over a food poisoning incident at Gobisizwe Agricultural School, which jeopardizes the health of students dependent on school meals.
- Vulnerability of Rural and Township Schoolchildren: Students in rural and township schools are particularly at risk as they rely heavily on the school feeding program for their daily nutrition, making food safety in these environments critical.
- Impact on Health and Education: Contaminated food poses serious health risks to children and can lead to prolonged illness, while also disrupting the academic schedule through school closures and loss of learning time.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Eastern Cape has expressed deep concern over an outbreak of food poisoning at Gobisizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni. The party emphasized that learners in rural and township schools are particularly vulnerable because many depend on the school feeding programme as their primary source of daily nutrition.
According to the EFF, contamination of food in these environments poses serious risks to children’s health, potentially leading to severe illness and long-term trauma. Beyond the immediate health impact, such incidents disrupt the academic calendar, forcing school closures and resulting in the loss of valuable learning time.
The party said the incident at Gobisizwe Agricultural School shows the urgent need for better monitoring and quality control in preparing and serving meals in the school feeding programme. They urged education authorities and relevant stakeholders to take swift action to safeguard the wellbeing of learners and restore confidence in the programme.
The EFF called for immediate investigation into the cause of the contamination, accountability for those responsible, and improved food safety measures to ensure no further harm comes to learners who rely on these meals for sustenance.
