131 pupils hospitalised for suspected food poisoning at Eastern Cape school

NGQELENI — Wednesday

Around 131 pupils from Gobisizwe Agricultural School required medical treatment following suspected food poisoning linked to a school meal on Wednesday.

The Eastern Cape Health Department confirmed emergency responders rushed to the Ngqeleni school around 1 pm after being alerted about multiple illnesses (Department statement).

Patients were transported to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha Regional Hospital, and Ngangelizwe Community Health Centre for treatment.

Department spokesperson Siyanda Manana called the incident “unfortunate”, reporting symptoms including dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, and abdominal pain (Manana interview).

Manana stated: “All those symptoms point to suspected acute food poisoning. They ate rice and tinned fish, so we suspect this is the source. However, environmental health practitioners will confirm the exact cause.”

This follows prior provincial education department warnings about food poisoning risks, including a memo ordering strict adherence to National School Nutrition Programme safety guidelines (Department memorandum).

The directive instructed principals and School Governing Bodies to certify on-site vendors and ensure food preparation meets standards. District offices must provide hands-on support to prevent contamination.

“Working together will ensure that pupils are safe and their consumption is monitored. The MEC also urged parents and schools to remain on high alert to prevent such incidents,” the department stated.