Lubhalwe nguDoreen Mokgolo
Ngemuva kweminyaka eyisithupha kubheduke ubhubhane lwe-listeriosis eNingizimu Afrika, kwashona abantu abangaphezu kuka-200 kwashiya abagilwa bephila nezimo ezibeka impilo engcupheni, kanti ummeli omkhulu uRichard Spoor uthi inkampani ekhiqiza ukudla i-Tiger Brands isebenzisa izindlela zomthetho ukubalekela icala ngobudedengu bayo.
Ubufakazi be-National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) buthole ukuthi i-listeriosis iphuma efemini yakwa-Tiger Brands e-Polokwane, kodwa ithi le nkampani kubukeka sengathi isebenzisa izindlela zomthetho ukubambezela ukunxeshezelwa kwabagilwa.
NgoMsombuluko ngesikhathi kunesithangami sabezindaba, i-Richard Spoor Incorporated (RSI) kanye ne-LHL Attorneys, abamele abamangali abangaphezu kwenkulungwane, bathi abakwa-Tiger Brands banikezwe ubufakazi bakamuva ekupheleni kukaMasingana kodwa abenzanga lutho ukunxephezela abagilwa.
Okunye ukuhlola okwenziwa yi-NICD ngoMasingana 2024 kwaqinisekisa ukuthi ama-ST6 listeria isolate angu-382 kwakungabantu, umkhiqizo, kanye nemvelo, okuhlobanisa izifo nesikhungo se-Tiger Brands e-Polokwane.
I-Listeriosis yabhebhetheka ngopholoni wase-France owonakele.
USpoor uthe ubufakazi buxhumanisa iTiger Brands njengomthombo oyinhloko futhi okungenzeka kube wumthombo wokuqubuka kwalesi sifo.
“Ukubambezeleka kwezomthetho kudale izinkinga ezimbi kakhulu ezinganeni ezinonina ababekhulelwe ngesikhathi beqala ukutheleleka.”
Abesifazane ababekhulelwe babeletha izingane ezinezimo ezihlukahlukene ezikhubazekile, phakathi kwazo okukhona kuzo i-cerebral palsy nezingane ezihlushwa ukuquleka njalo. Kwezinye izimo, izingane zaba nokulimala okukhulu kwengqondo.
“Iningi labagilwa kanye nalabo abathinteka baphuma ezindaweni ezintula amathuba futhi ezisengozini abathenga le mikhiqizo njengendlela eshibhile.
“Badla bengazi ukuthi kunegciwane elisongela ukuphila; ngeshwa abaningi bashona kanti izimpilo zabanye zaba nezinguquko ezesabekayo.”
“Ukunakekela izingane ezikhubazeke kakhulu ngenxa ye-listeriosis nakho kulahlekisele abazali imisebenzi,” usho kanje.
USpoor uthe yize belungiselela ukuqulwa kwecala enkantolo ngalolu daba, bacela abakwa-Tiger Brands ukuthi banxephezele labo okwalimala izimpilo zabo ngemuva kokuthi bedle imikhiqizo eyonakele.
Elandisa ngokuhlupheka, ummangali ophambili uMonthla Ngobeni uthe i-Tiger Brands kumele ikhokhe ngobudedengu bayo.
“Kubuhlungu kakhulu kubazali abaphila nezimo ezingezinhle ngenxa yaleli gciwane nezingane ezizalwe naleli gciwane bese ziphila nezimo ezibeka impilo yazo engcupheni.
“Kwadingeka ngidayise umuzi wami ukuze ngikwazi ukukhokhela izindleko zokwelashwa kwendodakazi yami. Kuze kube yimanje sesisebenzise imali engaphezu kuka-R400 000 ezikweletini zokwelashwa,” kusho uNgobeni.
Abasesithombeni ngenhla: URichard Spoor noMonthla Ngobeni.
Umthombo: Doreen Mokgolo