Johannesburg – The food which possibly killed three Emma Primary School pupils in Winterveldt, north of Pretoria, came from the home of two of them, the Gauteng education department said on Friday.

The sisters, aged 6 and 8, had brought juice and cake from home on Thursday which they shared with their 8-year-old friend, spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said.

“They were all sitting together during lunchtime and after break they complained of tummy aches and high temperatures and were then taken to hospital,” Sekhonyane said.

The children were certified dead at the hospital.

The school ran a feeding scheme, but Sekhonyane said there had been no reports of illnesses from children who had eaten the school’s food.

“The department has quarantined all the food served at the school as a precautionary measure,” Sekhonyane said.

The leftover cakes the children ate were sent for testing.

Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi was expected to visit the school on Friday.

“He will also visit the families of the deceased to pay condolences,” Sekhonyane said.

A team from the department’s psychosocial unit would be sent to the school to provide counselling and pastoral care to the families of the deceased, fellow pupils, and teachers.

SAPA