MIDDELBURG - More than 40 learners from Ekwazini Secondary School in Mhluzi were hospitalised after falling ill on

Tuesday, 17 March 2026, after consuming snacks bought from a school vendor and local tuck shops. The Mpumalanga

Department of Health is investigating whether the snacks were contaminated.

The learners reported symptoms including headaches, dizziness, stomach cramps, and vomiting blood. They were rushed to King

Nyabela Hospital for treatment.

A grade 8 learner, who cannot be named because she is a minor, said she became ill shortly after eating the snacks. “After eating,

I went back to class. That's when I started feeling dizzy and had cramps in my stomach,” she said. She said she was taken out of

class while waiting for medical assistance and later began vomiting blood.

A grade 9 learner reported similar symptoms. “I had a huge headache and pains in my stomach. I started crying and panicking,”

the learner said, adding that he also vomited blood.

All affected learners were later discharged after receiving medical treatment.

The Mpumalanga health department said laboratory tests are underway to determine whether the snacks were contaminated.

“Samples are being processed in the National Health Laboratory Service. The root cause will be determined once results are

available,” said departmental spokesperson Christopher Nobela.

The department added that some tests take longer to process and that measures have been put in place at the school, including

monitoring cases and raising awareness.

Some parents blamed the school for not monitoring food sold to learners.

School Governing Body (SGB) member Mavis Shabangu said the school has stopped a tuckshop operator from trading while

investigations continue. She urged parents to be cautious about giving children money for snacks.

“Even if the individual can be stopped completely, the fact that the learners always have money, they can buy similar products

elsewhere on their way to school. They will obviously get sick inside the school premises,” she said.

Department of Education spokesperson Gerald Sambo said the SGB is responsible for overseeing food sales at schools but

emphasised that the wider community also has a role to play. He added that the department has issued guidelines and trained food

handlers to ensure hygiene and safe food preparation.