National Consumer Commission hot on investigation trail of 2-minute noodle deaths

The National Consumer Commission is working with other regulators in the food safety environment and is awaiting laboratory results linking any product to the deaths recorded.

The National Consumer Commission is working with other regulators in the food safety environment and is awaiting laboratory results linking any product to the deaths recorded.

Published Nov 27, 2021

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THE National Consumer Commission (NCC) said on Friday that the probe into the link between two noodle brands and the deaths of five children in three provinces was crucial in helping regulators establish the facts. Both the Department of Health (DOH) and the police are probing the deaths.

The DOH said earlier this month it had initiated an urgent investigation into possible food poisoning after the children allegedly ate two minute noodles.

NCC spokesperson Pheto Ntaba said the investigation involving laboratory tests would determine what steps the commission will take in this matter.

“The NCC is working with other regulators in the food safety environment and we are awaiting laboratory results linking any product to the deaths recorded,” said Ntaba.

Three Gqeberha children – Sinothando Gwendu, 11, Olwam Gwendu, 7, and four-month old Athenkosi Gwendu – reportedly visited their grandmother where they ate two-minute noodles and died after getting sick.

Two siblings from Mpumalanga – Thato Makofane, 9, and her 13-year-old brother, Keamogetswe – also died after allegedly eating noodles.

Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said: “We will make progress soon, today or tomorrow.”

The department said earlier this month as part of the preliminary investigation the remains of the food products had been collected from some affected households and sent to for laboratory testing, while efforts to ascertain the brand name and store where the food products were purchased were under way.

“This crucial information will enable the health officials to establish a possible link between the noodles consumed in the three provinces and the deaths, in order to immediately notify the suppliers or manufacturers, while at the same time make a decision on the possible recall of all suspected food products from the shelves for large-scale laboratory testing as part of the broader investigation process to prevent the possibility of more loss of lives,” it said.

While the deaths have caused panic, established producers of noodles have said their products are safe for consumption.

Corporate communications and public affairs director at Nestlé: East and Southern Africa, Saint-Francis Tohlang, said the company implemented a strict food safety and quality management system at all its manufacturing facilities. As such, its products went through stringent food safety and quality assurance processes.

“Maggi 2-Minute Noodles and TasteMakers are locally manufactured at our Babelegi plant in Hammanskraal and are safe to consume. Nestlé has to date not been contacted by any authorities in connection with these incidents. The company is not in possession of any information to conduct an internal investigation, as such, all our noodles products are still being sold across the country,” said Tohlang.

Tiger Brands was not immediately available for comment.

The South African Human Rights Commission last week described the social media posts linking any possible tampering of the two-minute noodles with foreign-owned businesses was devoid of truth.

“The commission notes that suggestions that the tragic deaths of five children in different provinces are the result of revenge by foreign nationals are irresponsible and have no basis in fact,” said the commission.

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