Listeriosis: Daily Maverick details the growing case against Tiger Brands

More than six years after the devastating listeriosis outbreak in South Africa, Daily Maverick is releasing a powerful series of articles and interviews, detailing the latest legal battle and the impact on victims and survivors.

The outbreak, which killed more than 200 people, took place between June 2017 and April 2018 and has been dubbed the largest in global history. New developments in the case have now officially linked Tiger Brands to the deadly outbreak and reinvigorated the calls for justice for the victims and survivors of the epidemic.

Daily Maverick journalists Tamsin Metelerkamp and Lerato Mutsila, and photographer Thom Pierce, visited some of the affected families, who despite the reach and consequences of the epidemic, have yet to see justice.

In this series, they share the stories of four families that are unique in every sense of the word, except for a single thread that connects them: their lives were turned upside down when they or their loved ones contracted listeriosis after consuming a product from Tiger Brand’s Enterprise business. The products are mostly processed meat.

The series also reveals new evidence and unpacks the epidemiologic, traceback and environmental investigations that allowed the National Institute for Communicable Diseases to link the listeriosis outbreak to the Tiger Brands/Enterprise factory in Polokwane, offering readers an in-depth understanding of the continuing quest for accountability.

Find the full story and stay informed about the latest developments here.

To give readers an even more insightful perspective, Daily Maverick’s investigative journalist Lerato Mutisla will be hosting a #LiveJournalism webinar on 10 September 2024 at 6pm.

She, along with guests, will discuss the critical issues as they relate to the more than 1,000 victims of the listeriosis tragedy, who have been struggling to pick up the pieces after the deadly outbreak irrevocably changed their lives.

With new developments in legal firm Richard Spoor Incorporated’s (RSI) class action lawsuit against Tiger Brands, calls for justice have been renewed and the victims are demanding compensation from the company.

Register now to join the conversation! DM