A devastating incident has unfolded in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, where two children, aged seven and 10, lost their lives allegedly after consuming snacks purchased from a local spaza shop. According to a parent of one of the deceased children, three children fell ill hours after eating the snacks and were rushed to Steve Biko Academic Hospital. The tragedy unfolded when one child passed away in the early hours of yesterday morning, while the second child succumbed to illness last night. The surviving child remains in intensive care, fighting for their life in critical condition. The Department of Health has declined to comment on the matter until a full post-mortem report is received. This incident has sparked widespread concern, with growing calls for the closure of foreign and illegally operated spaza shops. This is not an isolated incident, as South Africa has witnessed a string of deaths linked to contaminated food purchased from local spaza shops. In recent times, the country has mourned the loss of 23 children due to food poisoning from snacks bought at spaza shops. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Gauteng has expressed sadness over similar incidents, including the tragic deaths of five children in Naledi, Soweto, after consuming biscuits from a spaza shop. As the investigation unfolds, the community demands action against unregulated spaza shops to prevent further tragedies.