Mourners at the funeral service in Naledi, Soweto, on 13 October 2024 for children who died after after ingesting a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide. (Photo: Gallo Images / Sharon Seretlo)
By Paola Gabriela Viglietti – 22 Feb 2026
Chronic pesticide exposure is a ‘silent pandemic’ of neurodevelopmental harm in South Africa. The current regulatory system, designed for adults, fails to protect children from cumulative, low-level exposure.
A crisis beyond a single incident.
In late 2024, six children in Naledi, Soweto, tragically lost their lives after ingesting terbufos, a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide that had been decanted into a soft-drink bottle and sold informally. Public outrage was immediate and intense. The state’s subsequent decision to revoke terbufos’ non-agricultural registration was necessary, but ultimately reactive…