abattoir forced to close

after a local abattoir allegedly sold meat from animals that died from unknown causes to unsuspecting clients.
The Veterinary Services Department has since indefinitely closed Red Dane Abattoir as it investigates the matter.
According to veterinary services, there are dangers of people contracting fatal livestock diseases after eating meat from animals that die from unknown causes. The abattoir manager, Mr Bradley Langton, said the allegations were false and could have been started by disgruntled workers who have a case being handled by the workers’ union. Acting Principal Director Livestock and Veterinary Services, Mr William Shereni, on Tuesday said the abattoir would be closed indefinitely pending the outcome of investigations underway.
“There are very high risks of people contracting fatal diseases after eating such meat. The commonest meat related diseases in Zimbabwe are anthrax and salmonella in red and white meat respectively,” said Mr Shereni. Acting Principal Director, Veterinary Technical Services, Dr Pious Makaya, said the abattoir was operating illegally since its licence expired in 2009 and had a lot of areas that needed to be refurbished before it could be allowed to re-open.
“The abattoir is closed with immediate effect according to the regulations of the Veterinary Services. The abattoir needs to be fenced and the walls painted with oil paint with all cracks on the floor sealed,”he said.
The abattoir reportedly supplied meat from animals that died on their own to Presbyterian and Sandringham High Schools in Norton, that collectively have an enrolment of close to 1 000 pupils. Sandringham headmaster Mr John Mahaso, however, refuted the allegations saying they last bought meat from the abattoir in 2008.
“Our stores officer discovered that the meat was not fresh before they had cooked so we returned it and we got fresh supplies. That was the last time we bought meat from this place,” Mr Mahaso explained. The abattoir manager, Mr Bradley Langton who was there in place of the general manager, said the allegations were false and could have been started by disgruntled workers who have a case being handled by the workers’ union.
“We have also not victimised anybody and those workers who were moved from the butchery to other places were moved because at the moment there is not much work in the butchery so we delegate them to do other tasks.” The workers were not on the premises to give their side of the story. “Last month we even sent some of them to work in the tobacco fields and there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
Dr Makaya, however, said investigations would continue and they would also engage the police anti-stock theft unit to uncover the source of the carcasses alleged to have been sold at the butchery.
In another development, the Government has suspended with immediate effect the importation of cloven-hoofed animals and animal products from Botswana following the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the Ngamiland District and Maun.