Uitgawe 10 – FEB 2013 - agri - spmdesigns.co.za

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Consultative process on the
meat inspection service at
abattoirs in SA commence
he Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
TFisheries (DAFF) commenced with a series
of stakeholder consultative meetings on
the proposed Meat Inspection Service.
Meat inspection service by suitably qualified and
skilled personnel in red-meat and poultry abattoirs
is considered to be one of the essential elements of
ensuring that the meat sold to the public is safe
and wholesome.
In South Africa, legislation dealing with meat
inspection has undergone various changes. In
particular, meat inspection service legislation has,
for a long time, mandated the government to
directly provide the meat inspection service.
Februarie 2013
This was achieved to direct government
employment of meat inspectors either via the
national government or local/municipal governments.
However, the Meat Inspection Service was
completely privatised just prior to 1994 in line with
the changing socio-economic and political
environment at the time.
In view of the operational challenges immediately
experienced, legislation was reviewed by the new
democratic government in 2000 in order to enable
both government and the private sector to play a
meaningful and vital role in providing a Meat
Inspection Service, a system which currently exists.