The Grade R learner ,Siyabonga Mnisi, who died of suspected food poisoning in Diepkloof, Soweto, was meant to graduate tomorrow. His father Samuel said it was painful that instead of seeing his son graduate to go to big school, he is now preparing for his funeral. Siyabonga died after allegedly consuming snacks bought from a foreign-owned spaza shop in Diepkloof Zone 3. His three friends also consumed the same snacks and have been admitted to the hospital.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH 

Siyabonga and three of his other friends bought the snacks and ate them; shortly after that, they allegedly started vomiting and suffered from severe diarrhea. All the kids who reside in the same yard were rushed to Lilian Ngoyi Community Clinic, where Siyabonga was allegedly declared dead upon arrival. His father recalled how he was on his way back from work when he received a call that Siyabonga was not feeling well and was being rushed to the clinic. Mnisi said after 20 minutes he received another call that his son had died. "I rushed to the clinic and saw him lying there lifeless," he said. Mnisi said he last spoke to Siyabonga on Monday when he asked him to come and visit him. He asked me to come and see him. He was supposed to graduate tomorrow and I have paid for and bought everything that is needed for the graduation. Now I look at those things and get angry about why my son has to die. I'm very sad and don't have much to say," he said.

UNHYGIENIC 

The MEC for Economic Development and Finance in Gauteng, Lebogang Maile, expressed concern over the state of hygiene at the spaza shop where the kids bought the snacks. Maile said upon inspection they found a bed and a bucket that the spaza shop owner uses to urinate in. "The people who are running the shop are using it as a bedroom and a bathroom, which is unacceptable," he said. "It is always sad to come to a community when there is such an occurrence. We don't enjoy doing such visits. A couple of days ago we made a promise to the communities that we are going to be present like the holy spirit."

Maile confirmed that some of the items at the spaza shop in question were expired. "We are going to make sure that all expired items are removed from the shelves and we open a case against this man for keeping expired food in the shop that he was likely to sell." The Education Department confirmed that the surviving learners are also from Dumezweni Primary School and were doing Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 4. "We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased learner and wish the hospitalised learners a speedy recovery," said MEC for Education Matome Chiloane. The police have since opened an inquest docket to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.