Sixth child victim in Naledi snack poisoning dies in hospital

The sixth child victim of an alleged snack food poisoning incident in Naledi, Soweto, has died in hospital.

The child, who was the only survivor of the incident that claimed the lives of five others who will be buried in a mass funeral service on Sunday, died after spending a week in hospital.

Local ward councillor Lazarus Motha confirmed in an interview with SABC news that the child died on Sunday morning.

Last week, the mother of the child could not hold back her tears while doing an interview with TimesLIVE Premium.

Lydia Olifant, the mother of Katleho Olifant, 7, told the publication her son was fighting for his life at Lesedi private hospital. 

She said her son, in grade 1 at Karabo Primary School, was shaking on Monday, but on Tuesday, the doctors told her he was better. The doctors told her they were trying to drain the poison. “It's bad; they can't tell me whether he is going to be fine. I must just pray because they were like, he is fighting for his life,” she said.

A funeral service for Zinhle Maama, 7, Monica Sathekge, 6, Njabulo Msimango, 7, Karabo Rampou, 8, and Isago Mabote, 7, is under way in Soweto. The children died after allegedly eating poisoned snacks.

TimesLIVE