The Department of Agriculture will conduct inspections at all five registered Terbufos manufacturers in the coming days to assess regulatory controls and verify the use of markers in locally produced products to distinguish them from illegally imported chemicals, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Also read: Cape Town buzzes ahead of the UTCT trail running event of the year
This follows the death of at least 22 people, including children, with many others hospitalised due to chemical poisoning from food.
According to a media statement by the South African Government, ministers heading multidisciplinary teams for the national response to foodborne illnesses held a media briefing on Thursday to outline the government’s action plan.
At the briefing, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said there are five Terbufos manufacturers in South Africa, and the department plans to engage with them to ensure supply chain security and legitimate end-use.
Steenhuisen said the department is also waiting for independent laboratory results of samples taken during the inspection of spaza shops in Gauteng to see if there is a potential match in South African products.
‘It is the department’s view that the Terbufos found in Gauteng does not emanate from one of the five South African producers but comes instead from across South Africa’s borders.’
‘Another substance was found in spaza shops that was banned for production and sale in South Africa in 2016.’
‘These discoveries indicate that there is a supply chain coming from [outside the country].’
‘However, the department is waiting for the independent laboratory results and the interactions with the five manufacturers to understand exactly where these substances are coming from and how the department can stop them coming into South Africa, if this proves to be the case,’ Steenhuisen said.
The minister said the department will strengthen biosecurity efforts to control the entry of harmful products and organisms at ports.
‘Biosecurity is something which is being declared a major priority of the department and it is one of the 70 priorities we identified in our annual performance plan, and we hope to invest the support of all South Africans, as we make biosecurity everybody’s responsibility,’ the minister said.
The inspections by the Department of Agriculture will be complemented by the nationwide cleanup campaigns, which have already kicked off in Gauteng and will be rolled out to other hotspot areas and the entire country.
Also read:
Ministry confirms no restriction on amount of sewage Cape Town may pump out to sea
Picture: Getty Images
