Afternoon Drive withJoanne Joseph

Following the sourcing of the listeriosis strain that has caused the deaths of some 180 people in South Africa, there is concern about how the potentially contaminated meat products will be removed from stores.

Mayco member JP Smith says the large supermarkets are easier to check than small retailers. He chats to CapeTalk's John Maytham about what the City has planned.

He explains that where Enterprise has a supply chain process in place with the big supermarket retailers it is far easier to effect the recall.

And we saw that happening very quickly with products coming off shelves and notices posted.

— JP Smith, Mayco member City of Cape Town

The small retailers present a bigger challenge he says.

The problems are with the small spaza shops and the general dealers...which are more difficult to get to. So one cannot be sure that those products have been recalled. So the City's environmental health inspectors have been tasked to go out and contact all those shops.

— JP Smith, Mayco member City of Cape Town

The inspectors will ensure all the products are withdrawn and explain to the retailers that the costs will be recovered from the supplier.

Smith says the City has recently added extra budget and increased the number of inspectors.

He says it is also essential to communicate all the information to the public.

People who have already bought these products, and have it in their home, in their fridge, and think perhaps because it's in the fridge it's safe, and it may even be open and contaminating other foodstuffs in the fridge.

— JP Smith, Mayco member City of Cape Town

He says the City's press statement explains that people then need to unpack their fridge, and clean it with an antiseptic such as bleach.

Take a listen to JP Smith:

This article first appeared on CapeTalk : CoCT health inspectors to ensure small traders comply with meat products recall