The Democratic Alliance welcomes calls by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies for an investigation by the National Consumer Commission on the discovery of traces of donkey, soya, goat and water buffalo in processed meats in South Africa.
While we welcome this action, it is necessary to gain clarity on what procedures were followed and what went wrong in the process of packaging, labelling and distribution.
I will therefore be writing to the chairwoman of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, Joanmarie Fubbs, requesting her to urgently call on the National Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS) and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) to appear before the committee to explain the testing and inspection procedures and how they failed to detect these elements.
This must include an inquiry into how pork was found in some of the products, but not labelled as such. Indeed, this failure to properly label food products will have a significant impact on religious communities whose members refrain from eating such products. It also has the potential to result in job losses if South African meat exports are halted.
I will also ask that private companies found guilty of misleading the public in this way be requested to appear before the committee to answer questions.
This matter must be placed at the top of the committee's agenda so that South Africans can rest assured that this is never allowed to happen again.
Wilmot James, Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry
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People are ALL missing the point. Pointing fingers at Retailers, butchers etc. Which I whole heartily support you have, NO doubt.
The TRUTH behind the WHOLE matter is that the Government and the its Food and Beverage Departments have known about this for more years than you can even guess at.
They ARE the entities that should brought before a Criminal Court for allowed/allowing, permitted/permitting and condoned/condoning what has a occurred and is occurring in South Africa. NOT LIMITED TO THE LATEST "MEAT"FIASCO! whatsoever /howsoever. FACT!
The DAFF and DoH and DEH and the Dti and the NCC are the custodian's of the Food and Beverage Legislation. Regulation, Law,Act and Standard.
IT is their CORE business function to ensure implicit compliance regarding ALL F&B product/s at ALL times and places in South Africa. Simple FACT!
YET they DO NOT monitor and enforce Legislation, Regulation, Act, Law and Standard. So why have any in the first place??
I have PROVED this with so many complaints lodged on the Government. Many just as serious and heinous as the "meat furor, some considered worse.
So to Minister Rob Davies Dti,his various dysfunctional, clueless departments he states will investigate this heinous matter ,like the NCC(CPA)
YOU LOSE in the first instance. IT is the Government that HAS to be investigated and probed in the first instance. NOT limited to the Meat complaints.
As is said. "The BUCK Stops At The TOP!"
There WILL be JUSTICE against ALL the MISCREANTS!