Food safety laws need changing to protect people

HEALTH Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has proposed amendments to laws that regulate food health and safety, in order to protect rural communities.

Those people, Motsoaledi said, were the most vulnerable to bacteria such as those causing listeriosis, due to a lack of health experts in their areas to monitor food producers.

Food health inspection was the responsibility of the Department of Health, but in 1996 the Foodstuff Cosmetic and Disinfectant Act was amended, which saw the duties being taken from the national Health Department to metros and local municipalities, Motsoaledi said.

He said he believed the lack of enforcement often contributed to bacteria outbreaks, adding that food manufacturers were failing to comply with the law.

Motsoaledi said only metros had tried to employ equipped health inspectors, but poor rural municipalities had failed due to a lack of resources and funds.

“They prioritise tangible service delivery such as water, roads and houses. They do not consider health inspection a priority.

“We have realised that something was not working and we previously tried to capacitate them (municipalities) with necessary skills through workshops, but nothing much has been done as far as health inspection is concerned,” Motsoaledi told Independent Media.

He had proposed the amendment of the laws to take back the duties of the inspection to the Department of Health.

“Food is a national commodity and when something that is life-threatening such as listeriosis outbreaks, it gets international attention,” he added.

Motsoaledi also criticised food producer Tiger Brands for failing to take

NOTHING MUCH HAS BEEN DONE AS FAR AS HEALTH INSPECTION IS CONCERNED

responsibility for their actions in respect of the outbreak.

Constitutional expert Shadrack Gutto said there were other options available to shift responsibility.

He said the cabinet could resolve this matter by looking at schedule 4 and 5 of the constitution, which explains the location of primary duties to the national, provincial and local government.

“It could be done faster if Parliament can follow those processes,” he said.