A family in Ottery, Cape Town, is demanding answers after six children were rushed to hospital when they allegedly became seriously ill after drinking a flavoured cooldrink purchased from a local spaza shop.
The frightening incident happened on Saturday evening and has prompted a police investigation. Authorities have sent the drink for forensic testing to determine what may have caused the children to become ill.
According to the children’s mother, Sakeena Adam, four of the affected children are her own, while the other two are family friends. The children, aged between six and 15 years old, had been sent to a nearby spaza shop to buy refreshments before the family sat down for supper.
Adam explained that the children returned home with two bottles of cooldrink. One bottle of Coca-Cola was intended for the adults, while the children shared a separate flavoured soft drink. After eating dinner together, everyone appeared to be fine.
However, around an hour later, the children reportedly began complaining of severe headaches. Within minutes, the situation became critical as several of them started collapsing, vomiting repeatedly and experiencing difficulty breathing.
Adam recalled the terrifying moment when her eldest son alerted his father that something was seriously wrong. At the same time, her 15-year-old daughter had gone to the bathroom, where she also collapsed without the family immediately noticing.
When Adam reached her daughter, she said the teenager was unconscious, had turned blue and had white foam coming from her mouth. Her daughter, who reportedly suffers from severe asthma, required immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which Adam performed while waiting for emergency assistance.
Meanwhile, her husband was trying to help the other children, who were also collapsing one after another.
“It was overwhelming because there were only two of us trying to save six children at the same time,” Adam said, describing the ordeal.
Neighbours rushed to assist after hearing cries for help. They helped carry the children outside while emergency medical services were contacted. The six children were later transported to three different hospitals in Cape Town for treatment.
The incident has left the family shaken and searching for answers.
The manager of the spaza shop, who identified himself only as Jimmy, expressed shock over the allegations. He denied any intention to cause harm and said the store purchases its stock from a cash-and-carry supplier in Khayelitsha.
He added that he could not explain how the children allegedly became ill and said the incident had come as a surprise to those operating the business.
Police spokesperson Captain Ndakhe Gwala confirmed that an enquiry has been opened by Philippi police. Investigators have seized the cooldrink, which has been sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis.
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing, and no conclusions have yet been reached regarding the cause of the children’s illnesses. Officials are also awaiting reports from the hospitals involved and any response from the manufacturer of the cooldrink.
The incident has once again raised concerns about product safety and the need for continued monitoring of goods sold at local spaza shops while investigators work to establish exactly what happened.
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