The father of 10-year-old Lesedi Mulaudzi, who tragically passed away after eating chips bought from a neighborhood spaza shop, is grappling with the sudden loss of his young daughter. What started as an ordinary Saturday quickly turned into a nightmare for the family from Alexandra, leaving them in shock and disbelief.
Joshua Maabo recalls the painful memory of that day. “It happened so quickly; it feels like a bad dream I’ll wake up from soon,” he shared. Alongside mourning his daughter’s passing, Maabo is now also tending to his wife and four-year-old son, both of whom were hospitalized after consuming the same snack.
"I am in deep pain and don’t know where to start. I’m struggling emotionally and financially," he said. Between hospital visits for his wife and son, and the heart-wrenching task of making funeral arrangements for Lesedi, Maabo is feeling the weight of an unimaginable loss.
The tragedy began when Lesedi brought home two packets of chips, sharing them with her mother and little brother. Maabo recalled that his daughter noticed an unusual smell from the snacks, even asking her mother to smell them. The mother and brother shared one packet, while Lesedi had her own. Despite being offered a taste, Maabo declined and advised them to throw the snacks away.
Within 45 minutes, Lesedi began to feel unwell, complaining of stomach pain and needing to use the bathroom. “She came back saying, ‘Papa, I am in pain,’” Maabo recounted. Concerned, he immediately took her to a nearby clinic. On the way, Lesedi’s chest pain worsened, and she struggled to breathe. Her mother, who was also feeling unwell, became increasingly worried.
At the clinic, as Maabo was completing paperwork, Lesedi’s mother’s condition deteriorated, prompting clinic staff to attend to her as well. Meanwhile, Maabo had to make arrangements to bring his young son to the clinic. Heartbreakingly, he was informed that Lesedi had passed away.
The Gauteng Department of Health later confirmed that Maabo’s wife and son were receiving treatment at Edenvale Hospital, both in stable condition. "The department extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family during this difficult time," said Motalatale Modiba, the department’s spokesperson. The government expressed concern over rising foodborne illness incidents affecting children, vowing to investigate further.
Following Lesedi’s tragic death, community members gathered at the spaza shop where the snacks were purchased, demanding answers. Local police, working alongside residents, confiscated stock from the shop for investigation. Residents, who refrained from looting, expressed fears about the safety of local food products and worried that other children might also be affected.
“This young girl had a bright future; she did not deserve to die like this,” a resident said. Another community member, Daphne Ramushu, expressed relief that the community chose not to take matters into their own hands but allowed police to secure the stock for investigation.
Nothile Kunene, who rented space to the shop owner, expressed sorrow over Lesedi’s death and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation. “We are going to close the tuck shop and let SAPS investigate," she said.
Gauteng police spokesperson Col. Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that samples of the snacks were collected for toxicology testing. “A team of investigators, in collaboration with health experts, is examining the food consumed by the victims before they fell ill,” she stated.
The Alexandra community remains in mourning, with Maabo left to grieve the loss of his beloved daughter while caring for his family.
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