By 
The Alexandra township in South Africa is reeling from the tragic death of an 11-year-old girl who reportedly consumed poisoned snacks bought from a tuckshop owned by Zimbabwean nationals.
The incident had ignited widespread anger within the community, sparking calls for the closure of foreign-owned businesses in the area, while the tuckshop owners have reportedly fled, filing a police report from a separate location.
According to Zimbabwean news outlets, the girl’s mother and four-year-old brother, who also consumed the snacks, are currently hospitalized in critical condition.
The girl’s father recounted the heartbreaking events leading up to her death: “My 11-year-old girl complained about the taste of the snack and asked her mom to taste. By the time their mom tasted it, the four-year-old had already eaten the snack. After an hour, my daughter came from the toilet complaining about chest pains. We took her to Masakhane Clinic and on the way, she was unable to breathe.”
He continued, “When we got to the clinic, I dropped her at the emergency room, but shortly after that, we were called to be informed of her passing. While still there, their mother complained about stomach pains, she was admitted. I called a neighbour to assist in transporting my four-year-old boy whom we left home so that he could get medical attention as well. They were both taken to Edenvale Hospital. Their mother is in a critical condition.”
Following the tragedy, community members rushed to the tuckshop, hoping to confront the owners.
However, they found the shop abandoned. Reports suggest the owners went to a different police station to file a report, leaving the Alexandra community stunned and outraged.
The landlord of the premises, visibly shaken, expressed sorrow and confusion over the incident.
“No parent deserves to lose a child,” she said. “To be honest, I don’t even know the day-to-day runnings of the shop and also don’t know where they buy their stock. I’ve been trying to call them to come back because they’ve been operating this shop for a while, and we’ve never had problems.”
The landlord added, “Although I’ve never seen their documentation, they told me that they are legal in the country as they are from Zimbabwe. They need to come back and show us where they buy stock.”
The incident has left the Alexandra community in a state of shock, with many residents demanding accountability and questioning the safety of products sold in local tuckshops.
Calls for increased regulation and inspections of spaza shops, particularly those run by foreign nationals, have grown louder as residents grapple with the tragedy.
South African authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the investigation, while the search for the tuckshop owners continues.
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