The MK Party women’s wing, known as Omame We Mkhonto We Sizwe, has shown concern about the possible outbreak of foodborne illnesses in Mamelodi schools.
In an effort to curb the possible outbreak of these illnesses, the organisation has embarked on an initiative to visit as many schools as possible in Mamelodi township to warn parents and teachers about the dangers of the said illnesses and also on how to prevent them.
The MK Party women’s wing, known as Omame We Mkhonto We Sizwe started their awareness campaign at Balebogeng, Rethakgetse, Koos Matli and Uoane primary school in Mamelodi East, Tshwane.
The warned learners not to buy food from the foreign tuck shop owners and they also warned learners about human trafficking and substance abuse.
MK Party women’s wing, known as Omame We Mkhonto We Sizwe are Annie Matime, Nomvula Masilela, Germinah Mlangeni, Zandile Phatshoane, Dinah Mathosi and Johanna Kekana.
Member of MK Party Omame We Mkhonto We Sizwe Mamelodi branch Annie Matime visited the Balebogeng Primary School in Mamelodi East on Friday morning, where she told Tshwane Talks that they were worried about the deaths of learners countrywide as a result of poisoned foodstuffs bought from foreign-owned spaza shops.
“We are here at Balebogeng Primary School to caution children about food poisoning as we have just read that there are six learners who died of food poisoning in Naledi, Soweto, 48 who were admitted to hospital in Hammanskraal and 70 who were admitted to hospital in the Free State, and we don’t want the poisoned food scourge to break out in Mamelodi,” said Matime.
“To enhance our initiative, schools have agreed that from now going forward, they will give us a chance during their gathering time (assembly) so that we can give advice to all and sundry regarding basic food hygiene and also deliver a stern warning against Organophosphate, which is the substance that has been found in the foodborne disease that is ripping our children apart,” she said.
“We want to encourage learners to only buy foodstuffs which are barcoded with the number 600, and we also warn them that they must stop buying chocolates, bicuits and chips which do not have a barcode,” enthused Matime.
“These children are our future and if we don’t stand up for them as mothers, then we will lose them,” she said.
Matime explained that their aim is to first start with primary schools, then go to high schools.
She also requested learners to in turn teach their own mothers about the dangers of foodborne illnesses.
“We told learners that they must have breakfast before coming to school; that even soft porridge will be enough; that mothers must pack their lunch provisions with fruit like bananas or apples and that mothers must not give their children money when going to school because this money is used to buy the said poisoned food-stuffs,” she said while in the process explaining that the visit to Balebogeng Primary was the first leg of the initiative which they envisage to take to all schools in Mamelodi.
“If we lose our children then we are doomed and we believe that if we empower these learners with information regarding foodborborne illnesses, they will in turn inform their parents about it and this way we will be able to curb this scourge,” said Matime.
Matime and her fellow MK Party members also warned Balebogeng Primary School learners about the dangers of human trafficking and drug abuse.
Ward 18 MK Omame We Mkhonto We Sizwe Germinah Mlangeni also took a time and talk to the learners about the human trafficking and substance abuse and the danger. Learners must know
“We want the learners to know about the human traffick and drugs so that they must not find themselves in that situation.
They are our future leaders, and they represent us, and we don’t want to lose them and our campaign won’t stop,” she said.
Grade 3 teacher at Balebogeng Primary School Luki Makhubela told Tshwane Talks that she was thankful about the Omame We Sizwe’s campaign to warn children about the dangers of buying poisoned foodstuffs from foreign-owned spaza shops, emphasizing that they as teachers were also trying their best to discourage learners from buying foodstuffs from foreign-owned spaza shops.
She said their challenge was that once the kids are out of the teachers’ sight they do as they wish, disregard their warnings and buy foodstuffs from foreign-owned spaza shops.
“Vendors will be given notices as per the Department of Basic Education’s instruction to stop selling food to children at our school until further notice, and I also urge parents to buy food for their children at trustworthy outlets and not at foreign-owned spaza shops, because the situation whereby learners die as a result of food poisoning is getting worse,” said Makhubela