SAZ names blacklisted firms

The firms are, Datlife, Century ice, Chillfuff, Blestermarketing, Les Nouveau, Redlight, Liquid Asset.

Saz quality assurance director, Mr Sebastian Zuze said the seven had been suspended for failing to register with the Food Standard Advisory Board.

Mr Zuze said certification of products and services with the Saz provided them with international recognition and helped them to open up markets abroad.

He was responding to concerns raised by some water bottling firms who argued that registering with FSAB under the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare was enough in terms of the Public Health Act and Food Standards Act.

The firms complained that their products were being prejudiced for failing to bear an Saz logo yet subjecting themselves under the body was not a legal requirement.

But Mr Zuze said seeking certification with Saz enhanced a culture of compliance.

“FSAB provides a bare minimum requirement. It is good to subject your products to a third, independent and non-profit making organisation like Saz to get an objective assessment,” said Mr Zuze in an interview.

He said the fact that Saz was a non-profit making body meant that it could not be manipulated by huge corporates.

“As Saz, we are saying this is an opportunity to do things right and demonstrate in Zimbabwe and beyond, but unfortunately companies are looking at the bare minimum. Certification is an internationally accepted norm to ensure standards. We have mechanisms to ensure continued compliance and inculcate a culture of doing things right,” he said.

FSAB secretary, Mr Fred Chinyavanhu said while their organisation looked at hygienic and safety requirements, Saz went beyond that, something small enterprises complained was an extra cost to them.

“Saz conducts Hazards Analysis Critical Control Point, a further requirement in addition to the hygienic and safety requirments we make. These are steps that are taken to identify possible points of contamination within the manufacturer. Small companies have complained saying this is expensive yet it is not mandatory to get certification with Saz,” he said.

Mr Zuze appeared before a Parliamentary committee on Health and Child Welfare on Monday where he called for legislation to compel manufacturers to secure certification with Saz in order to enhance the protection of consumers.

He said the current did not make it mandatory, yet it was critical to protect consumers.