Nine children from Mossel Bay were hospitalised on Monday, and they are believed to have suffered from a foodborne illness. The local municipality says the children consumed chips from a local shop.

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) mayor, Andrew Stroebel, says the children experienced “persistent stomach cramps”.

“The children received prompt care, with their parents/guardians by their side throughout the ordeal. Medical staff confirmed that all 9 children have since recovered and discharged.”

Stroebel says an investigation has been launched by Environmental Health Practitioners from the municipality, and that the chips have been sent to a laboratory for testing.

He further called on community members in Mossel Bay to report any suspected counterfeit foods or food they suspect have been tampered with.

Johan Compion, of the GRDM, told eNCA that some of the children returned to school on Tuesday. Compion noted that they would be meeting with other stakeholders in the Mossel Bay community to establish the way forward.

This comes as spaza shop owners queue to get their businesses registered. This was one among several immediate measures introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last week. Ramaphosa aims to intensify the focus on food safety in the country, following the deaths of 22 children to foodborne illnesses this year.

READ MORE: President’s food safety measures welcomed; execution questioned

Just last week, in Cape Town, over 20 children were also hospitalised for stomach cramps. They allegedly consumed snacks from a local vendor in Mfuleni. While all the children were eventually discharged, health inspectors continued to investigate the cause.

READ MORE: Food safety incidents in Mfuleni spark public health concerns