BY REGINALD KANYANE

Since its inception in the Bokone Bophirima Province in 2007, the Abattoir Hygienic Rating Scheme has grown in leaps and bounds and has proven to be a success for the Department of Rural, Environment and Agriculture Development (READ) in improving compliance of abattoirs to meat safety standards.

The scheme stood out during the routine assessment carried out by the Veterinary Services Unit in ensuring that it comply with the requirements as set out in the Meat Safety Act. Its regulations were awarded by the department for their sterling efforts in a glittering ceremony held at the Christiana Hotel on Friday night.

The departmental spokesperson, Thandiwe Moripe-Thabethe said these annual awards were targeted at standardizing and promoting compliance with the Meat Safety Act and its regulations. She said in doing so, all abattoirs were inspected at prescribed intervals by the department’s Veterinary Public Health officers using the Hygiene Assessment System (HAS).

“The Meat Safety Act also provides for measures in promoting meat safety, the safety of animal products and help in establishing and maintaining essential national standards in respect of abattoirs. The basis of this legislation is to ensure that abattoirs are fit to slaughter animals including poultry and that the processes meet the minimum requirements, therefore certify that the meat products are safe for human consumption,” she said.

The winners, who according to the assessment system are in compliance with the prescripts of the Meat Safety Act 40 of 2000, were announced during the award ceremony.

Tigane Supreme Poultry scooped the first position for the Poultry category, and was followed by Rainbow Chicken and Fouries Poultry Plant as position 2 and 3 title-holders respectively.

The Meat category was won by Doornplaat Abattoir with Rustenburg and Zeerust Abattoirs coming second and third respectively.

Kareespruit Abattoir and Ducko Processing went home with the low through put section accolades of Red Meat and Poultry whereas the recently introduced category of MEC Special Award which caters for Rural Abattoirs, was won by Orama Abattoir.

Congratulating the winners and all abattoirs that participated in the scheme, the Mayor for the Lekwa Taemane local municipality, Kagiso Palagangwe on behalf of the MEC for the Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development Manketsi Tlhape, said the recognition bestowed upon these abattoirs confirmed that the meat and meat products from these abattoirs were of high quality and that the hygiene standard was not being compromised.

“We are hopeful that the standard set by the Hygiene Assessment System is a noble cause of promoting good health of our communities. We will be sustained as the department has invested extensively towards the implementation of agro processing projects in the rural areas of the province which I hope will go a long way in fostering economic development in Villages, Townships and Small Dorpies.”, he said.

Palagangwe said some food borne disease remained one of the public health concerns hence registered abattoirs as part of the meat processing process and a significant contributor to the food value chain were highly monitored for compliance.

The department said the AHRS scheme has over the years promoted better cooperation between the department and the industry and would therefore express the importance of the scheme in committing to extended stability within the province since Bokone Bophirima is one of the pioneers after Gauteng in implementing the project.

-TDN

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