No listeriosis-carrying products in school's nutrition programme: KZN Education
Parents whose children on the National Schools Nutrition Programme have been given the assurance that their lunches are not at risk of carrying listeriosis.
Basic Education says processed cold meats are not used in the programme, which feeds nine million children nationally and around 2.2 million in KZN everyday.
Officials though are still urging schools to remain vigilant, as processed meats are often included in packed lunches sold by vendors.
"Given the seriousness of the disease, we have requested schools to practice preventative and controlled measures. We remain committed in providing safe and healthy food to all deserving learners," KZN Education's Kwazi Mthethwa said.
The source of the country's listerious outbreak is the Enterprise polony factory in Polokwane.
ALSO READ: Four African nations ban SA cold meat imports
Meanwhile, the National Consumer Commission's Trevor Hattingh says that all products suspected of being contaminated by the listeriosis outbreak will be incinerated.
"The disposal plan that they will be implementing will detail exactly how the retailers will be containing it and how it will be transported from there to a place recommended by the department of health for incineration as opposed to it being put into a landfill," Hattingh said.
Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia have banned the imports of cold meat imports - following the nationwide recall.