Mpumalanga Exco Tackles Foodborne Illnesses Crisis

Mpumalanga has recorded 365 cases of foodborne illnesses between May and November, prompting the provincial Executive Council (Exco) to intensify preventative measures.

Exco spokesperson Thulasizwe Thomo revealed on November 28 that Premier Mandla Ndlovu had convened a meeting to address the outbreak, among other provincial issues.

An interdepartmental committee, led by Health MEC Sasekani Manzini, has developed an integrated response plan to tackle the issue. The plan focuses on surveillance, laboratory investigations, environmental health interventions, business regulation, and public awareness campaigns.

Last week, unannounced inspections in Mbombela and eMalahleni uncovered violations such as unlabelled, expired, and improperly stored food items. Confiscations were made, and unlicensed shops were shut down.

Thomo assured that unannounced inspections would continue, with the plan undergoing continuous assessment to ensure its effectiveness in combating the spread of foodborne illnesses