The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
A NINE-year-old Emakhandeni primary school pupil died upon admission at Mpilo Central hospital while two others were hospitalised after a suspected food poisoning incident.
The deceased, Zanele Ndlovu (9) and two others started vomiting terribly and were ferried to hospital after they had shared some snacks and a mahewu drink during break time.
One of the minors who brought some snacks however did not fall ill.
ZRP Bulawayo Deputy Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the incident.
“Police in Bulawayo are investigating a case of sudden death by suspected food poisoning which occurred in Emakhandeni Bulawayo. On 16 February 2022 at around 10am, Zanele Ndlovu a juvenile aged 9 years of Emakhandeni, Bulawayo and her other three classmates, female juveniles aged 7 years all of Emakhandeni were seated on the veranda outside their class at Emakhandeni primary school during break time when one of them took out a packet of tomato flavoured ‘Hello’ snacks from her satchel. Zanele Ndlovu then took the snacks from her laps, opened the packet and the two ate the snacks
“The owner of the snacks told Zanele Ndlovu to crush some of the snacks, mixed them with mahewu and drank the mixture. The other juvenile also took out her home-made popcorns from her bag, mixed them with the remaining snacks and shared with the deceased and the other girl whilst the girl who brought the snacks did not eat the mixture. After eating the popcorns, Zanele Ndlovu, and the other two girls started vomiting which attracted the attention of their class teacher who attended to the victims,” said Assistant Inspector Msebele.
Zanele’s 74-year-old grandfather who was attending a meeting at the school, was immediately called before an ambulance was summoned to ferry the three minors to hospital, Zanele was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Meanwhile, the police have urged parents to monitor and check their children’s food before they go to school and encouraged them not to take food from their peers.
