Tiger Brands play ball in class action

Two law firms representing victims of the deadly listeriosis outbreak have commended food giant Tiger Brands on their transparency in releasing listeria testing information to shareholders.

Tiger Brands recently released a statement that confirmed the presence of the listeria strain that caused the outbreak in its facilities. This meant that their factories in Polokwane, Limpopo, and in Germiston, Gauteng, will be closed until the problem is resolved.

The company said: “The purpose of this announcement [was] to update shareholders on the results of the independent laboratory retesting which was carried out in respect of the presence of LST6 in the above samples.”

Human rights lawyer Richard Spoor said: “This confirmation of what the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported that this outbreak of listeria came from the Polokwane factory of Enterprise Foods and what [the] statement amounts to is the acknowledgement by the company that indeed this outbreak does come from their factory …

“We look forward to working with Tiger Brands’ lawyers and insurers to find an equatable solution for its injured consumers.”

Zain Lundell from LHL Attorneys said the announcement was very helpful and he hoped it would lead to a “speedy and just” settlement for the individuals affected by the outbreak.

The two firms agreed to consolidate their class actions in partnership with the US-based food safety law firm Marler Clark against Tiger Brands.

The class action currently represents 140 victims affected by the listeria outbreak.

The firms are in the process of collecting medical records and evidence related to the case.

We look forward to working with Tiger Brands’ lawyers and insurers to find an equatable solution for its injured consumers.

Richard Spoor Human rights lawyer and activist