The Siavonga Town Council department of Public Health on Wednesday around 14:00 hours seized about 200 cases of Fanta and Coca Cola valued at about K 30,000 from unknown agents who came into the district to sell their beverages to the public.
The seizure was done by the Council Police officers who were accompanied by officers from Public Health in accordance with the food and Safety Act No.7 of 2019 of the Public Health Act CAP 295 of the laws of Zambia and a seizure notice was issued.
According to Council Senior Health Inspector Jacob Kaveya the said drinks were being sold at a cheaper price of K 5.00 per 500ML bottle while a 1 Litre was being sold at K 10.00 per bottle as they were nearing its expiry date of this June on 18 and 25 respectively but the condition in which these commodities were being sold were compromised as they were being sold in an open truck with full exposure from the sun which according to the ACT its safety was compromised.
In addition the agents had no Hawkers License issued by Siavonga Council to allow them trade in the district. Therefore the local authority will take the samples to Siavonga District Hospital food and drugs department to ascertain whether the drinks are counterfeit products or not and if the results will show that the drinks are counterfeit products a court order will be obtained from the Magistrate Court to have them destroyed and if they would be declared fit for human consumption then they will be given back to the owner.
The Local Authority would like to send a very strong warning to such traders to desist from selling their products in an uncompromised environment and without a hawkers license and to the consumers they are further being warned to also desist from buying products on an account of being cheap and without checking the shelf life of the products and an environment in which they are being sold.