GEORGE NEWS - Umleqwa, or live chicken, has long been a favourite cuisine of South Africans and a source of meat across the country's townships such as Thembalethu.
Live chicken is being sold by many individuals along the Nelson Mandela Boulevard in Thembalethu and is freely available - but without indication of where or how it was sourced.
For many years the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) has been warning people to be extra careful when buying and cooking live chicken. Sapa warned poultry owners to be aware that chickens and other poultry used for meat and eggs can carry germs that cause disease. Germs from poultry can cause a variety of illnesses in people, ranging from minor skin infections to serious illnesses that can lead to death.
In 2018 the breeding of chickens at home came under the spotlight when the United States recalled over 200 million eggs after people fell ill with salmonella.
This is a bacterium that is found in contaminated eggs or meat. No cases of salmonella have been reported in South Africa so far, however, the poultry industry warned that one can still be infected. Symptoms include diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps. Breeders and buyers are advised to always wash their hands after handling live poultry.
Another problem is the acceleration of the growth of chickens. Because it makes them generate too much heat, their immune systems are slowed down, which causes damage to their intestines. This enables salmonellosis (food poisoning caused by infection with the salmonella bacterium) and avian flu to spread quickly.
Consumer responsibility
Last year the Garden Route Municipality released a statement on food safety saying the buck doesn't stop at the food producer or trader, or a government authority responsible for enforcing regulations.
"Neither the government nor the food producer and traders can ensure that a food consumer practises hygiene standards and food safety at home, or that consumers wilfully support businesses that do not possess a Certificate of Acceptability.
"Consumers also have to act responsibly and report instances where foul play is suspected. All food traders must therefore, at all times, clearly display their Certificate of Acceptability where they trade, otherwise Government cannot be held liable for any unintended consequences which may result from negligent food traders and producers," the statement reads.
It further said legislation exists to ensure that all foodstuffs and food handling facilities comply with health standards that protect consumers from unsafe food or conditions that are unhygienic.
"Although South Africa is considered a developing country, the food industry of the country can be considered as a well-developed and sophisticated sector, geared towards safeguarding the needs of consumers through both the formal and informal sectors of the country's economy. This includes the entire food chain."
At the time of going to press, Idinga had not received a reply to enquiries from Sapa.
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