CCPC supports ban of food imports from SA
…to prevent Listeriosis outbreak locally
By LINDA SOKO TEMBO THE Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has commended government over the ban of the importation of risky food products from South Africa like processed meat in a bid to prevent an outbreak of Listeriosis locally. CCPC public relations officer Namukolo Kasumpa said the move that government had taken was a positive development as it was meant to protect Zambians. In an interview with the Daily Nation, Ms Kasumpa explained that one of the government’s top priority was to protect the citizens of the nation. She said the CCPC Act clearly states that: “A person or an enterprise shall not sell any goods to consumers unless the goods conform to the mandatory safety standard for the class of goods set by the Zambia Bureau of Standards or other relevant competent body.” She said therefore if those foods were not safe for public consumption as confirmed in South Africa where they are coming from, it was incumbent on Zambian Government to remove or ban those products from Zambian market for safety reasons. “One of the key things we have done is to engage the Ministry of Health who are the lead institution on the matter and we are still discussing with them on the way forward on any developments on the issue,” Ms Kasumpa said. She said CCPC prime duty was to ensure that all food stuffs sold in Zambia were safe and met standards set by the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS).