Following the heartbreaking deaths of several children in Soweto last year due to food poisoning, the South African government has taken decisive action.
Officials have now banned the import and use of Terbufos—a pesticide better known locally as halephirimi—after it was linked to the toxic contamination of snacks that the children had eaten.
The Turning Point: Tragedy Sparks National Outrage
The tragic incident made headlines across the country and left many families reeling.
The children reportedly bought the contaminated snacks from a local spaza shop, which raised serious concerns about food safety in informal retail spaces.
Although the exact chain of contamination is still being investigated, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said during a press briefing in Cape Town that all signs point to Terbufos exposure from food sold at the spaza shop.
Government Steps In With Tougher Food Safety Rules
As part of a broader response, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for all spaza shops in South Africa to be officially registered.
The goal is to bring more oversight to informal food vendors and reduce the risk of unregulated—and potentially dangerous—products ending up in children’s hands.
This move signals a shift toward tightening safety in the informal food sector, which many low-income households rely on daily.
Terbufos on the Way Out
The government is now beginning the process of phasing out Terbufos, which has long been used by farmers to fight off pests.
But as awareness of its dangers has grown, so too has the pressure to find alternatives.
According to Ntshavheni, the Department of Agriculture will lead nationwide consultations to identify safer pest control options.
The phase-out plan also ties in with the department’s broader 2010 roadmap aimed at eliminating hazardous chemicals from South Africa’s farming systems.
Not Just a South African Problem
It’s not just South Africa making this shift.
Several other countries in the Southern African region—including Mozambique, Namibia, Angola, and Zambia—have already banned Terbufos.
That adds even more weight to the urgency of this decision, both for public health and regional alignment.
The Bigger Question: Health or Harvest?
The government now faces the challenge of balancing food security with public safety.
Terbufos has been effective in pest control, but at what cost? With growing concerns about the long-term health effects of such chemicals, South Africa is at a crossroads: find safer solutions or risk repeating past tragedies.
What Comes Next?
The ban marks a strong step forward, but there’s still work to do—particularly in educating farmers, improving food vendor regulation, and ensuring safer products make it into homes and lunchboxes across the country.
As South Africa navigates this critical moment, one thing is clear: the safety of its people, especially its children, must come first.