Rwanda has lifted a ban on some South African foods imposed in 2017 following a listeria outbreak that sickened more than 1,000 people.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock said the sanctions are aimed at protecting public health from Listeria monocytogenes.
A notice to suspend imports of meat, dairy and milk products, fruit and vegetables from South Africa was issued in December 2017.
The listeriosis outbreak began in 2017 and was declared over in September 2018, with 1,065 confirmed cases and at least 218 deaths.
The people became infected after eating a contaminated ready-to-eat meat product called polony produced at the Polokwane plant by Enterprise Foods. Polonia is similar to Bologna. At the time, Enterprise Foods was owned by Tiger Brands, but the business was sold in 2020.
At least 12 countries have recalled the processed meat products involved and banned imports, and three countries have also suspended imports of other food products.
Class action situation
The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources said the ban was lifted following a thorough review and confirmation by relevant authorities of the listeriosis situation in South Africa.
The agency added that it appreciates the cooperation of importers, traders and the public while taking precautionary measures.
Earlier this year, Tiger Brands made an undisclosed settlement offer to some victims of the listeriosis outbreak. The conditional transaction was entered into without any admission of liability.
The proposals were addressed to members of certain classes of applicants who had suffered harm as a result of listeriosis caused by a particular genotype. These included applicants who contracted (or whose mothers became infected with) listeriosis caused by sequence type (ST) 6. Other classes included applicants whose legal breadwinners on whom they were legally dependent died from listeriosis caused by ST6; and applicants whose legal dependents were in their care and who became infected with listeriosis caused by ST6.
In February 2025, Tiger Brands offered temporary assistance in the form of advance payments to claimants in need of emergency medical care. The company also said it was reviewing a resolution to the entire class action lawsuit.
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