The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will present deserving abattoir owners with the prestigious Nama Phepha Awards on Friday, 20 November. The event will be held at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park from 18h00.
During her interaction with the meat industry earlier this year, MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza was given assurance by owners of the industry that meat in the province is of high quality and the hygiene standard is not compromised.
Satisfied with the state of the industry, the MEC will give deserving abattoir owners that have complied with the Meat Safety Act of 2000. The Abattoir Hygiene Rating Scheme (AHRS) currently known as the Nama Phepha Awards came into operation during 2003. It is aimed at encouraging and maintaining higher hygiene standards than the minimum standards that are prescribed by the Meat Safety Act of 2000.
Participants are operators or owners of the red meat and poultry industries in Gauteng. Participation in the Nama Phepha Awards is voluntary and is aimed at ensuring the sale and consumption of safe and sufficiently hygienic meat products for humans.
In addition to the continuous monitoring of abattoirs in the province, Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officials use a hygiene assessment system to audit those who wish to participate in the scheme. The hygiene assessment system, an objective and science based system, monitors the hygiene and animal welfare status of all registered abattoirs.
For more information regarding the Nama Phepha Awards, please contact:
Wynton Rabolao
Tel: 011 355 1980
Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gauteng Provincial Government
18 November 2009
Source: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gdard.gpg.gov.za/Index.htm)
