JOHANNESBURG  -  South Africa has declared food-borne illnesses a national disaster following a recent surge in food poisoning cases that left dozens of children dead and hundreds hospitalized. Thembi Simelane, minister of justice and constitutional development, made the announcement on Thursday at a press conference held in Pretoria, the country’s administrative capital. The announcement followed reports of nearly 900 cases of food-borne illnesses across all provinces in the country since September, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces being the most affected. At least 22 children have died, prompting urgent measures.

“Organs of state, the private sector, and communities should adhere to food safety legislation, standards and procedures, and individuals should comply with applicable business registration legislation, standards and procedures,” Simelane said, calling on the public to stay alert.

The government has required tuck shops to re-register their entities and urged local authorities to comply with the disaster management declaration.

“Implementing the standard by-laws for rural and township economies advocates for mandatory proper waste disposal and recycling practices. It also goes a long way in dealing with the issue of rat infestations, which gives rise to the harmful use of dangerous and banned chemicals like pesticides,” Simelane said. She said the government is working to tackle the shortage of inspectors who will enforce compliance by tuck shops, adding that law enforcement agents are on the ground to inspect the shops, with some shop owners arrested for selling expired food including counterfeit goods.