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Mr Denford Mutashu

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) has applauded Government for immediately banning imported food stuffs linked to the deadly listeriosis and urged authorities to strengthen border controls to combat smuggling of such products.

Food stuffs linked to the outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa include processed ready-to-eat meats such as polony and sausages. Listeriosis is a rare food-borne disease found in 10 cases per one million people and was first reported in South Africa early this year.

According to South African health officials, polony, Russian sausages, viennas, cold meat, ham, sausages, meat spreads, corned meat, salami, pepperoni and most refrigerated uncooked food, are the source of the infection.

In an interview yesterday, CZR president Mr Denford Mutashu said the Government has taken a good position by banning food stuffs linked to listeriosis saying the embargo would limit the flow of such products into the country.

“People should not look at the margin side but the health side. We strongly welcome the good position the Government has taken to immediately effect a ban on imported food stuffs from South Africa linked to listeriosis,” he said.

“If the disease spreads into the country it will have negative repercussions for the Government in terms of exerting more pressures and burden to the country as more resources will be required to deal with the disease.”

Mr Mutashu said they have since carried out a survey and established that some of their members have taken heed of the Government’s call and withdrawn listeriosis-linked imported products from their shelves.

“Some of our members have immediately withdrawn such products from shelves taking heed of the Government’s call,” he said.

A snap survey carried out by Business Chronicle in Bulawayo yesterday showed that major supermarkets such as OK, Pick n Pay, Choppies and Spar were selling locally manufactured food stuffs.

“As CZR, we are strongly asking retailers to comply with the Government’s directive until further notice. If you defy and continue to sell listeriosis-linked products, as an entrepreneur you are actually damaging your brand, which will not be reparable.

“We are also calling upon responsible authorities to strengthen border controls to curb the smuggling of such listed food items into the country.

“Travellers if they travel to South Africa we also urge them not to consume such products or bring them into the country,” said Mr Mutashu.

On Sunday‚ South Africa’s Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi named Enterprise’s food production plant in Polokwane‚ Limpopo‚ as the confirmed source of the unique strain of listeria‚ which has caused the world’s biggest documented listeriosis outbreak‚ with 948 confirmed cases and 180 deaths.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Major General (Retired) Dr Gerald Gwinji has said no listeriosis cases have so far been reported in the country. The permanent secretary has also warned members of the public against consuming all ready-to-eat processed foods associated with the identified companies.

Dr Gwinji said those at risk included pregnant women, infants aged less than 28 days, the elderly and anyone with a weakened immune system. Signs and symptoms of the disease include diarrhoea, high fever up to 38 degrees, headache, muscle pains and complications such as septicaemia and meningitis.

@okazunga