- Only one of more than 700 schools in Buffalo City Metro and Amathole West has the food safety certificates legally required for feeding pupils.
- The Eastern Cape legislature has passed a motion forcing school kitchen inspections after a series of food poisoning scares, including the Mthatha outbreak.
A food poisoning scare in Mthatha has forced the Eastern Cape education department to inspect every school kitchen in the province.
The latest incident happened at Gobizizwe Agricultural School, where 169 pupils were rushed to hospital after eating contaminated food. It follows last year's outbreak in KwaBhaca, when more than 300 pupils at Osborn Senior Secondary fell ill with diarrhoea and vomiting.
Only one of 712 schools in Buffalo City Metro and Amathole West holds the legally required food safety certificates.
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To comply, schools must have a certificate of acceptability, a gas and electrical compliance certificate, and a Volunteer Food Handlers certificate, all issued by municipalities after inspections.
The provincial legislature has now passed a motion, sponsored by the Democratic Alliance, requiring inspections across the province. The motion won unanimous cross-party support.
DA representative Horatio Hendricks said the decision showed unity in protecting pupils.
"This victory ensures that proactive steps will now be taken to strengthen food-safety standards without depriving vulnerable children of the only meal they may receive in a day," he said.
The motion also called on the department to set aside funds from the education infrastructure grant for safe kitchens, proper equipment and training.
Education portfolio committee chair Monde Sondaba said schools must also play their part.
"Feeding children without necessary quality assurance is risky, so certificates must be there, everything must be assured."
The department is now expected to conduct a full audit of all school kitchens, release deadlines and publish an action plan to fix problems.
