Ever since Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi warned members of the public that Enterprise and Rainbow brand polony and processed meats were identified as a source of the deadly listeriosis outbreak, local shoppers have been avoiding these ready-to-eat meat products.
To date, the outbreak of listeriosis has claimed more than 180 lives and the number of affected citizens is said to be close to a thousand. Fortunately, Laudium has not been affected by the listeriosis outbreak, with no fatalities reported.
Erasmia resident, Maraldia Hassin (62), told the Laudium Sun that she doesn't really buy Rainbow polony because of her beliefs. “I mostly buy polony fresh from the Laudium butchers because we can trust their Halaal status,” she said, adding, “I used to buy other Rainbow products that were supposedly Halaal but now I won't buy them anymore, at least not until we know for sure it's safe and their word has been validated.”
Another resident, Kamy Govender, of Bengal Street, told the Laudium Sun that since the announcement by the Health Minister confirming that cold meats were the source of the listeriosis outbreak, she has been very cautious. “I refuse to eat any cold meats irrespective of where it comes from. It now makes a lot of sense to me. How can we eat any meat that’s not cooked? We are not animals”.
In the meanwhile, OK Supermarket in the Laudium Plaza confirmed to the Laudium Sun that they have never stocked the Rainbow products cold meat range, mentioned by the Health Department as being contaminated. Kwikspar in Erasmia said they had immediately removed all Rainbow products from their shelves, even though it was Halaal certified, as soon as they heard about the life-threatening food-borne illness. Speaking to the Laudium Sun, Kwikspar employee, Rose Ellis said, on behalf of manager Imran Sheik, “We immediately removed all the Rainbow stock and sent it back to the warehouse. We definitely can't put our community at risk.”
The Muslim Judicial Council is the only organisation that still certifies processed Rainbow products as Halaal, after the South African National Halaal Authority withdrew their Halaal certification in 2011. Since the listeriosis outbreak, however, Sheikh Achmat Sedick who is the Halaal Trust director of the Muslim Judicial Council, reportedly said that they would now have to re-assess their Halaal certification of Rainbow, based on the company's handling of the present listeriosis crisis.
Kamy Govender said she refuses to eat cold meats after the listeriosis outbreak.
Kwikspar Erasmia employee, Rose Ellis, said all Halaal certified Rainbow products were removed from their shelves.
Sheikh Achmat Sedick, the Halaal Trust director of the Muslim Judicial Council, says the Halaal certification of Rainbow products will be reassessed.