KwaZulu-Natal Schoolchildren Fall Ill After Spaza Shop Snacks

Posts by radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese describe groups of children rushed to hospitals in Ladysmith, Jozini, and eDumbe after eating from spaza shops, with one video showing a boy in distress and others featuring girls in uniforms. Users blame foreign-owned outlets and call for boycotts, amid frustration over inaction from leaders like Julius Malema, though no official confirmation has come from health authorities or police. These reports build on South Africa's ongoing spaza shop crisis, where contaminated food has sickened hundreds since 2024, including 20 child deaths from pesticides in Gauteng and recent cases in other provinces.