The raids come as South Africa continues to record the deaths of children allegedly due to food poisoning. These incidents have raised alarms across the country, particularly among parents, as the authorities work to investigate the causes behind the growing number of cases.

South African police have uncovered suspected expired food items during raids on several warehouses in Durban. This comes amid ongoing efforts by authorities to address a series of suspected food poisoning incidents that have led to the deaths of at least 20 children, many of whom were pupils, in recent weeks.

Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi led a team of officers in the raids on Wednesday, resulting in the discovery of at least two warehouses allegedly storing expired food products and prescription medication, according to reports from state broadcaster SABC. Mkhwanazi emphasized the importance of tracing the origin and final destination of the items, stating, "We need to know who’s bringing it in, where they send it to, who they sell it to, and the eventual final destination.”

Justice Minister Thembi Simelane also confirmed on Thursday that law enforcement officers had imposed fines and seized large quantities of counterfeit goods in various provinces as part of their ongoing crackdown.

In the latest case of suspected food poisoning, a five-year-old child died in Diepkloof, Soweto, with three other children currently receiving treatment in a hospital. Authorities revealed on Thursday that since September 2024, there have been a total of 890 reported incidents of food-borne illnesses across all provinces. Most of the children involved reported stomachaches shortly after consuming snacks from tuck shops located within or around their schools.

Police Affairs Minister Senzo Mchunu commended law enforcement agents for their “meticulous work” during this week’s raids. The recent deaths related to food poisoning have sparked widespread concern, particularly among parents, with the authorities reportedly considering declaring the situation a “national disaster.”

In response to the crisis, President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a directive on Monday, mandating all spaza shops and food-handling facilities to register with their respective municipalities within 21 days. He also ordered the immediate closure of spaza shops that were implicated in the deaths of the children.