The listeriosis outbreak has sparked panic, resulting in an increase in the number of countries banning ready-to-eat meat product imports from South Africa.
Up to 180 people have died, and according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the number could rise.
On Monday, Zimbabwe joined Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Kenya, which have halted the supply of ready-to-eat or processed meats such as polony, viennas, salami and sausages to these countries.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has raised concerns over the listeriosis outbreak, but says it is confident that officials will resolve the matter.
“Yes, we are concerned about the outbreak but we are confident that the departments of Health, Agriculture, and Trade and Industry will sort these issues out,” said the Presidency’s acting spokesperson Tyrone Seale.
Zimbabwe’s Herald newspaper on Monday reported that no cases of listeria had been recorded in that country, but officials had “tightened food surveillance at the border posts”, while Kenya’s Health Ministry in a statement called on local manufacturers to recall products from supermarkets.
Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the department’s focus now lay squarely on ensuring that all recall programmes were strictly adhered to.
“We have been liaising with the National Consumer Commission to ensure that this takes place effectively,” Mohale said.
While Tiger Brands chief executive Lawrence MacDougall this week said the company could not link the deaths, including that of infants, to its Enterprise Foods brand.
The public has called for the company and those responsible to be held to account.
Speaking on the impact that the embargo on imports could have on this country’s economy, economist Mike Schussler said it would not be major.
“Yes, it will have an impact, but only one that is significant to that industry,” he pointed out.
Schussler, however, said the recall of products was a crisis for some, with Tiger Brands’ shares plummeting on the JSE, and the possibility of job losses.
The debilitating economic impact of the deadly listeriosis disease is also being strongly felt by township small businesses, which are losing thousands of rand due to fears caused by the outbreak.
Yesterday, The Star visited three townships in the south of Joburg and encountered anguished entrepreneurs, who told of big losses.
Enterprise produces polonies, viennas and russians, which
the health minister recalled on Sunday.
These cold meats are key ingredients in the popular township fast-food meal known as a kota, which is a worry for entrepreneurs selling the meal.
Maria Pheko, 35, of Finetown, said she had been losing about R700 a day since Sunday. After averaging R1500 a day in her container shop, she made only R800 on Monday.
By 2pm yesterday, Pheko said she had made only R200, and that her takings usually surpassed the R600 mark at that time of the day.
She showed The Star her accounting book, which meticulously records each transaction.
“I’m worried because I pay R400 a month, which my landlady said will increase at the end of this month. I also pay my two employees a wage of R400 a week.
“Our kota starts from R6, with chips and polony.
“Right now when people buy, they buy the R6 kota without the polony, and ask that we reduce the price by R1,” a concerned Pheko said.
The National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) has raised its concerns over listeriosis and employees working for Enterprise Foods, particularly at the Polokwane facility which is said to be the source of the outbreak.
The union claims leaked ammonia at the facility is the latest health hazard for employees working there.
According to Nupsaw, the workers will return to work today. They will be utilised for cleaning activities at the plant.
Meanwhile, Consumer Commission spokesperson Trevor Hattingh said the organisation had met with the manufacturers implicated, including RCL Foods, and was awaiting their recall strategy, communication and disposal plans.