Little Siyabonga Mnisi's mom recalls his last moments before his death of suspected food contamination

JOHANNESBURG - The family of five-year-old Siyabonga Mnisi said he died within 20 minutes after displaying symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.

Siyabonga died on Wednesday after allegedly consuming chips purchased from a spaza shop just around the corner from his Diepkloof home in Soweto.

More than 20 children across the country have died in food contamination incidents within the past month as authorities continue to crack down on non-compliant spaza shops.

READ: Siyabonga Mnisi’s family mourn his death instead of celebrating Grade R graduation

The mother of five-year-old Siyabonga Mnisi, who died of suspected food contamination, said that doctors examined him for only a few minutes upon arrival at hospital.

Speaking to EWN from their home in Soweto, an emotional Thandeka Ndalimane said that her son was there one minute and gone the next, as his diaphragm presumably began to contract, suffocating him.

"His last breath was when we got to the hospital because when were on our way to the hospital he was gasping for air. When we got there he was almost gone."

She said it only took doctors two to three minutes to declare her son dead.

The spaza shop has since been shut down, the operator being taken into custody by police on Wednesday.

Siyabonga will be laid to rest on Sunday.