While food producer Tiger Brands' liability for the listeriosis outbreak in 2017/18 has yet to be determined in court, the company is engaging with the legal team behind the class action lawsuit representing victims of the outbreak, with the aim of agreeing on relief for certain claimants with urgent medical needs.

Listen to this article 6 min Listen to this article 6 min The legal team behind a class action lawsuit representing more than 1,000 claimants who suffered due to the listeriosis outbreak in 2017/18 has confirmed that it's received a proposal from Tiger Brands for the payment of interim benefits to a group of claimants, including children born with listeriosis who have pressing medical needs.

Richard Spoor Incorporated (RSI) Attorneys, a public interest law firm behind the class action, said that it received the proposal on Wednesday, 30 October.

"We have also received a without prejudice offer to settle claims for a category of victims that are genetically linked to the outbreak. That proposal is also being considered," it stated.

"The proposal from Tiger Brands is significant in that it represents the first acknowledgment from Tiger [Brands] that they have some responsibility for the outbreak... We are heartened [by] these developments and are hopeful that it will hasten a just and inclusive outcome."

The group of claimants who are the subject of Tiger Brands' proposal comprises about 350 persons who have been genetically linked to the outbreak - a small subset of the about 1,000 victims who make up the...