Man, nephew die after alleged poisoning from spaza snacks

The community of Klarnet in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, went on a rampage and closed spaza shops owned by foreign nationals after two people died and eight others were hospitalised after allegedly consuming fizzy drinks, snacks and biscuits given to them by the owner of one of the shops.

The deceased were identified as Musawenkosi Nkosi, who was renting out his store to the shop owner, and his four-year-old nephew Lethokuhle Sithole.

According to the community, a group of people were removing foreign nationals on Monday and told a tenant of Nkosi, 43, to also leave.

Allegations are that while the foreign national was leaving, he gave Nkosi, Lethokuhle and other residents fizzy drinks, biscuits and snacks before leaving.

Resident Dimakatso Molatudi said everyone who had been given the snacks started being sick, vomiting and having white foam coming out of their mouths.

“What we know is that 10 people consumed the [snacks] from this man. Nkosi shared his with his nephew, who also died along with his uncle. Others were taken to hospital on Wednesday night,” Molatudi said.

Lethokuhle’s mother, Athenkosi Sithole, said her son was with his uncle when she went to fetch him in the afternoon. However, he was weak and vomiting, she said.

“White foam was coming out of nose and mouth. I rushed him to the clinic. When I arrived there, he was declared dead.

“While I was shocked, I was told that my brother has just been brought to the clinic too by his friends. Before I could even get to the room he was being kept in, I was also told he was also dead.”

Sithole said she was later told that they consumed the products given to them by the Ethiopian guy who was renting her brother’s shop.

White foam was coming out of nose and mouth. I rushed him to the clinic. When I arrived there, he was declared dead.

“It later came out there are also eight other elders and children who had been hospitalised too for eating those things.

Sithole said her elder child also consumed the items and had to be sent for treatment, and it was found that she had little substance of Halephirimi but was not in danger.

The Mpumalanga department of health has confirmed the deaths of two people and treatment of eight more.

Spokesperson Chris Nobela said they arrived at one of the clinics on Wednesday afternoon vomiting and complaining of stomach pains.

“The four-year-old and the 43-year-old both died on arrival. We also transferred eight other community members to the Witbank Hospital, where they were treated and discharged.

“To find out the cause of death, the department of health is assembling a multidisciplinary team to investigate the matter and report back to the public,” said Nobela.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo confirmed the two deaths.

“We can confirm that two family members died from alleged poisoning. As the investigation is ongoing, we will find out really what happened.”

Meanwhile, Masondo also confirmed that a 19-year-old teenager was shot dead when gunmen allegedly opened fire on a crowd during the alleged looting of a foreign-owned shop in Siyanqoba.

“It is reported that a group of community members from Siyanqoba were looting at a shop owned by a foreign national when a sedan vehicle was seen driving past the scene,” said Masondo.

“The occupants in the vehicle allegedly fired shots randomly into the crowd.”