Since September, there’s been 890 reported cases of food-borne illnesses across all provinces. In the same period, 22 children lost their lives, allegedly due to food poisoning. Food-borne illnesses have since been declared a national disaster, with a government interdisciplinary task team responsible for the national response. Speaking at a media briefing on 21 November, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosi Hlabisa, outlined the action plan. The Department of Health will give urgent attention to the issue of the shortage of environmental health inspectors, and is appointing health experts to serve on the Ministerial Advisory Committee.  The Department of Basic Education has issued a circular to all provincial education departments and schools on best practice protocols for preventing and managing foodborne illnesses within schools.  Spaza shops not linked to deaths Terbufos, an agricultural pesticide, was linked to the deaths of six Soweto children in October. Eighty four spaza...