Gauteng parents say they sleep with one eye open as a highly toxic pesticide, terbufos – commonly known as “halephirimi” (“the sun won’t set”), which has been linked to the deaths of more than 20 children in the province, continues to be sold openly for as little as R10.

The deaths occurred after children consumed snacks contaminated with terbufos, including six from Naledi, Soweto.

Despite street vendors being prohibited from selling such chemicals, terbufos remain readily available across the province.

It is a sunny midday in Johannesburg on Sauer Street, near Lilian Ngoyi Street. A street vendor sits outside the shops, watching people pass by, hoping someone will stop at her stall so she can make enough money to put food on the table.

Her stall displays earrings, combs, nail polish and a variety of skin-lightening creams. 

But next to these normal items is something dangerous – a small, dirty white bucket filled with terbufos, a chemical meant to kill rats.

It sells for just R10.

“You just put food inside the place or container and add it to the food, then place it under the bed. When the rats eat it, they die,” said the woman, who asked not to be named.

There are no warning labels or written instructions on how to handle the substance safely.

She openly admitted to selling the chemical, holding up the small bucket, filled with black granules tightly wrapped in a translucent plastic packet.

This is despite Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announcing a ban on the illegal sale of terbufos in November 2024 across the province following the deaths linked to the chemical.

“This poison is dangerous. Even when you handle and use it, you have to be careful, because one mistake can lead to death,” she said.

“When someone comes to buy it, we explain how to use it, how to handle it properly, and to always keep it out of children’s reach and away from places where children can find it, because it is very dangerous,” she added, placing the bucket back on the table.

One major question remains: where does the deadly poison come from?

“My mother is the one who stocks it, but where she gets it from, I don’t know… She just comes with it. This is her business,” the vendor said.

IOL News could not independently verify that the substance being sold was terbufos, which has long been available in small quantities on the street, often repackaged from its original large-scale agricultural use.

Almost every street has a vendor selling similar products. Many, in the struggle to make a living, are selling something that can easily kill.

Terbufos is a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide legally permitted only for agricultural use, mainly in the cultivation of potatoes and maize.

The chemical has been linked to the deaths of more than 20 children in 2024, including six from Naledi, Soweto, in October.

Terbufos was confirmed as the cause of death after the children consumed snacks bought from a local spaza shop.

However, despite the ban announced by Lesufi, terbufos continue to be sold by some vendors, something parents say leaves them deeply worried.

“It makes me feel angry and disappointed. Knowing that people continue to sell something so dangerous, even after lives have been lost, shows a lack of care for human life. It feels like profit is being put before people’s safety,” said Khethelo Zondi, 25, a mother of one from Orlando East, Soweto.

With schools recently reopened for the 2026 for the academic year, Zondi said she relies on faith each morning that her child will return home safely.

“I am very worried… Children are naturally curious and may not understand how dangerous this poison is. Now the schools have reopened, there is a real risk that children could be exposed to it, which is extremely frightening for parents and communities,” she said.

She said instead of worrying about her child’s education, she worries about something else – safety.

“I feel anxious and concerned. Instead of only thinking about education and the future of my kid, I worry about the safety of others.”

“Parents should have peace of mind when their children go to school, not fear that they could be harmed by something that should not even be available,” Zondi told IOL News.

She said she does not believe enough is being done.

“While there may be laws in place, enforcement seems weak if the poison is still being sold openly. The government needs to take stronger action, increase inspections, and punish those who sell it illegally to protect the public, especially children.”

Zondi said she has never used terbufos herself.

“The reports of people, especially children, losing their lives because of this poison made it clear how harmful it is. Knowing the risks and the pain it has caused families is enough to influence anyone to stay away from it.”

Another concerned parent is Che Serobedi from Diepsloot Extension 1, a father of two girls aged 15 and 10.

He said even though the children live in different areas, one in Ga-Rankuwa and the other in Alexandra, the family now buys snacks only from well-known retailers.

“Truly speaking, as parents and members of the community, this situation of the illegal sale of terbufos all over is difficult, to be honest, and even when we are sitting, we can’t relax when children go to school until they return back home,” he said.

“Because we don’t know what is happening in school and what will happen to them. Even though we have decided to buy them snacks and tell them not to buy them at school, you will never know what they do at school, so these things are really stressful,” he added.

He said poor hygiene and weak enforcement worsen the problem.

“We speak out, but there is no backup from authorities. The shops keep operating.”

Leslie London, a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Cape Town, said no street vendors are licensed to sell terbufos.

“No vendors are licensed to sell terbufos for domestic markets, so any sale in the CBD is by individuals without authorisation,” he said.

“In the past, it was easy for anyone to go into an agricultural store to purchase any chemical they wanted for pest control. I have seen evidence firsthand,” London said.

“There was absolutely no product stewardship exercised by the companies formulating pesticides such as terbufos.”

London, who is a pesticide expert, said the regulatory system is outdated and ineffective.

“The Department of Agriculture has a regulatory system for pesticides governed by an Act that is 78 years old (Act 36 of 1947)! It is so old that it predates apartheid. It cannot be argued that it is fit for purpose any longer.”

He described terbufos as one of the most toxic pesticides known.

“It is an organophosphate pesticide causing nerve poisoning. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a classification for acute toxic chemicals and Terbufos is in the highest category possible.”

“The effects can range from eye watering, vomiting and diarrhoea to muscle weakness, breathing difficulties, convulsions, coma and eventually death.”

City of Johannesburg spokesperson Nathatisi Modingoane said the city was concerned about the continued illegal sale of highly toxic substances, including terbufos, and “takes the safety of residents, particularly children, very seriously”.

He said that following the Gauteng Provincial Government’s announcement banning the sale of terbufos by spaza shops and informal traders, the city intensified law enforcement and environmental health operations targeting spaza shops and informal trading areas, including in the Johannesburg CBD.

“These operations focus on compliance with health, safety and trading regulations. Where suspected illegal activity involving terbufos is identified, the city alerts the relevant national and provincial authorities responsible for regulating agricultural pesticides,” Modingoane said.

However, despite these efforts, the illegal sale of terbufos continues.

Modingoane said after the first reported cases of suspected food poisoning, the city initiated law enforcement operations on spaza shops.

“These operations are ongoing and are conducted on a weekly basis. In addition, the city has developed a register for spaza shops to improve oversight and compliance monitoring,” he said.

He added that when city officials encounter large volumes of terbufos during inspections, the product is not confiscated by the city, as it falls under the regulatory authority of the national Department of Agriculture.

“In such instances, the department is formally notified to take the appropriate action in line with national legislation,” he said.

Despite the continued illegal sale of terbufos, Gauteng police told IOL News that no arrests have been made.

“Currently there are no arrests,” said Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.

“Through multidisciplinary operations between Dept of Agriculture, Environmental Health, Department of Health and SAPS fines were previously issued to people who were found selling such in the CBD and the pesticides were seized.”

IOL News approached the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for comment, but the department said it could not comment on the matter as it is not responsible for monitoring or controlling the illegal sale of the chemical.

Departmental spokesperson Danisile Sathekge referred the questions to the National Department of Agriculture.

The national Department of Agriculture said terbufos is a highly restricted product that may only be sold to certified and trained pest control operators for agricultural use under the Fertilisers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act of 1947.

“Those who are selling terbufos on the street are doing so illegally and intelligence and investigation on how they access the terbufos active ingredient products is ongoing in collaboration with law enforcement agencies,” said Jolene Van Wyk, spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture.

She confirmed that there are six licensed manufacturers and importers of products containing terbufos active ingredients in South Africa.

“Furthermore, there has been consultation with the manufacturers and registration holders of agricultural remedies products that contain terbufos active ingredient who indicated that they had already ceased the importation and production of products containing terbufos,” Van Wyk said.

Asked who would be held accountable in cases where illegal sales result in harm or death, she said, “The investigations will reveal who will be responsible and accountable.”

Van Wyk said the department had issued a gazette notice inviting public comment on a complete ban.

“As per section 23(4) of the Fertilisers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act, 1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947), the Minister (John Steenhuisen) is required to publish his intention to prohibit the acquisition, disposal, use, sale, manufacturing and distribution of agricultural remedies containing terbufos as active ingredient for public comments before the final notice to ban terbufos is published,” she said.

The January 14 notice replaces one published on December 1 and calls for public input until February 27, 2026. 

It proposes that the ban should take effect from February 28, 2026, following Cabinet’s approval of a ban on terbufos in June 2025.

Terbufos is banned in Angola, the Comoros, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL News

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