|
LIVINGSTONE, Dec 17 - The Livingstone City Council has destroyed maize worth K500 million which was supplied to the Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS) in the city because it is rotten.
The maize was supplied to the Livingstone branch of ZRCS to feed the chronically ill patients under its home based care programme.
Council senior environmental health officer Michael Musenga said yesterday in Livingstone that the food was seized in April after it was discovered that it was rotten.
The supplier then applied for an injunction in the High Court to restrain the council from destroying the maize, but the bid was discharged by the court on November 21, 2003.
Mr Musenga said the local authority seized the food after people complained that they had experienced health problems after eating the meals.
He said the council action was on the basis that the company had bought and supplied rotten food, contrary to Section 3 (b) of the Food and Drugs Act, CAP 303 of the Laws of Zambia.
The Act states that Government will protect the public from health hazards and fraud in sale and use of food, drugs, and cosmetics.
Mr Musenga said the council would not allow companies to off load rotten food on the vulnerable people on the pretext of helping them.
The order by the court came after samples of the maize meal were analysed and certified unfit for human consumption.
|