Police announce that Soweto child deaths are all linked to toxic carbamates, as health inspectors raid Naledi and researchers report 2,652 child poisonings in Gauteng in three years.

Health authorities are in a race against time to find illegal pesticides or other chemical agents that could be linked to the deaths of 11 Soweto children as a forensic pathologist confirmed that they were poisoned - probably by a cheap street-bought poison used to kill insects and rats.

One of the products is known as "halephirimi", loosely translated as "you will not see the sunset".

At a briefing held on Thursday, 24 October, Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni said police had received the forensic reports for 11 deaths - six this year and five last year - and all were linked to insect poison in a class called carbamates.

Certain carbamates have been banned in many countries.

Six children died in Naledi, Soweto, of suspected poisoning this month. The children - Monica Sebetwana (6), Ida Maama (7), Isago Mabote (8), Karabo Rampou (9), Njabulo Msimanga (7) and Katlego Olifant (7) - ate snacks from a local spaza shop that authorities believe were contaminated by pesticides.

Five others died in 2023. They were Leon Jele (6) and Neo Khang (4), also of Naledi, Refiloe Usman (6)...