Johannesburg - Nico De Jager was feeling lazy and bought Enterprise ham for his son’s sandwiches.
But his own consumption of it landed the City of Joburg’s member of the mayoral committee for environment and infrastructure services at the Morningside Clinic two weeks ago, sick with listeriosis.
“It could have been the cold meat,” said De Jager of his own “bad luck” yesterday. “I felt like I was dying. I had headaches and high fever.”
He tells how the MMC for Health, Mpho Phalatse, had joked with him after he started feeling ill that he had perhaps contracted listeriosis. She was right. De Jager suspected it already, though his symptoms did not include vomiting or diarrhoea.
“I know a few people who are being treated for the symptoms.”
After a drip was inserted at the hospital, he started to feel better.
“Anyone who gets exposed to processed food runs the risk. I don’t buy processed food other than ham. I generally live a healthy lifestyle and I’m feeling much better now.”