The hysteria over listeriosis is justified
Sello Morake
Let me take you back a few months ago when the outbreak of
the deadly bacteria called listeriosis came into the spotlight, in 2017.
The minister of Health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi spoke
passionately about the outbreak of listeria, bacteria that cause food poisoning
in pregnant women, children and people whom their immune system is weak to
become sick on different radio platforms. Motsoaledi emphasized the need to
wash hands often after going to the toilet or touching something.
At that time it had not been reported that 180 people had
died due to the deadly disease because investigations were being contacted. It
has now come to light that a food processing factory, Enterprise foods and
tiger brands in Limpopo and in the Free State had conclusive cases of the
outbreak which has caused the misery in some families. Some people are saying
the responsible food processing factories of which the bacterium has been found
should be sued so that affected families could be compensated.
It could have been misconstrued that the minister was just
being himself talking about taking good care of oneself instead of preaching
the health practices so as to avoid cure. After all, prevention is better than
cure. Motsoaledi is one of the most hardworking and capable ministers in the
Presidency of Cyril Ramaphosa. He is hands on and sometimes it feels like he is
not the minister because he is always on the ground and knows what is going on
in the health sector.
Motsoaledi announced over the weekend that certain processed
foods such as polony, Russians, viennas and other sausages were contaminated
and must be avoided at all cost so that lives could be saved. This decision is
going to have a direct impact on the township business of selling Kota,
Skhambane or Sphatlo as it is known in different parts of the country.
Kota is quarter of a loaf of bread made up of Atchaar, egg,
Cheese, polony, Vienna, chips and Russian depending on what the customer wants
from the seller. This is the signature daily food in the townships of South
Africa whereby some families consume this food on a daily basis except for
Sundays when better balanced food is cooked and served to family members.
In every township in South Africa within the radius of 200
meters there is a spaza shop selling Kota (Quarter of bread) for enterprising
people. This, junk of a food is the hottest thing in the township so much that
in Soweto, there is a Kota festival which is held in September of every year.
It is easy to prepare because not much effort is made in making it.
Kota is the unhealthiest type of food yet the most consumed
food in all places in South Africa. It has also made it into big retail stores
such as Shoprite, Checkers and Pick n Pay, where it is now being sold. Kota
will definitely make you full within minutes of being eaten and as you can see,
it is full of oily foods which are bad for the heart and digestive system.
Most people buy Kota in the morning for breakfast, for lunch
and even for super. So you can imagine how this decision of recalling polony,
Russian and other cold foods are going to impact on these small enterprises in
the townships.
What even exacerbates the problem of food poisoning is the
fact that most of these spaza shops are near dirty places and the kitchens are
often dirty. Just check how it is prepared, no one would eat the humble Kota
but hunger is another beast altogether when one wants to eat. Some people don’t
really make an effort in making their kitchens need and tidy and don’t bother
to wash hands when they have wiped off sweat from their faces or scratched some
itchy part of the body while in the kitchen.
It’s these observations that I have made when I had gone to
buy the Kota that people don’t care about their work stations. Or is it because
they want to serve as many people as they could so they tend to ignore the most
important and basic thing to do of keeping their environment clean.
As Motsoaledi had said he contamination of processed foods
could have happened at the factory or at the retail shops or at the spaza shops
where the Kota is being made to a customer.
I asked a few people about their views on the minister’s
suggestion that Kotas should be stopped and got mixed responses. One was an
economic issue, whereby people said how would chefs who survive on running Kota
business would do after it has been reported that the polonies and Russians
should not be used until further notice. They cited the fact that there are no
jobs and therefore no one would just stop selling because of the hysteria over
listeriosis.
This one particular person said the business would continue
as if nothing is happening. Others said they would continue eating their Kota
no matter the decision because they don’t have time to cook a proper meal.
Surprisingly another person I spoke to said she had stopped
eating Kota a long time ago after realizing that it was not good for her health
as it contained a lot of fat. So it was health conscious decision for her to
stop eating Kota so as she could remain healthy.
It is indeed a sad moment because people have the habit of
doing more of what they are told not to do. Take a good example of drivers who
often told not to drive while under the influence of liquor. They keep on
driving while drinking and overspeed. People are told not to have multiple
sexual relations but they do and don’t even use the condoms.
So we are praying that people could atleast change their
habits and attitudes towards life in general so that they can live longer
because listeriosis is really dangerous.
We, as the people need to make a vow that we change our
habits by adopting simple but yet helpful acts of cleaning our environments,
washing hands as often as we could and avoid expired foods.
The symptoms of the listeriosis as reported in the media are
headache, diarrhea, flu-like illnesses, muscle aches, stiff necks and many
more. One can get the disease from eating contaminated food and it is quiet
important that one is really careful of what he puts in the mouth. Even fresh
fruits should be washed before being eaten.
This listeriosis problem has actually forced us to be health
conscious and we plead with those who prepare and serve us to play their part
too.
I remember an incident back in the day when I had gone out
with my friend to some of these fancy restaurants to dine out, I found a fly in
my food. I reported the matter to the waiter and I was told I could get another
meal but I refused because I had just lost appetite there and there. My stomach
started acting up or was it my mind telling me not to eat that kind of food
again. So from there whenever I go out I just buy drinks only and bounce off.
Many people had reported harrowing incidents at the
restaurants from discovering nails or hair in their food. So eat out at your
own risk because listeriosis knows no bounds. It will find you even at the
fancy restaurants.
Certain health standards should be a daily habit because it
is not okay to spend your own hard earned cash on food that would make you
sick. Consumers should definitely get value for their money.
