Cape Town - Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust director Sheikh Achmat Sedick has urged Muslims to heed the warning of Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and avoid processed meat products such as viennas and polony.
The warning is a cautionary step and the council has not identified any products other than the Rainbow brand as having been affected.
The warning comes after a widepread recall of Enterprise and Rainbow Chicken Limited products. Both companies have been identified as the source of the deadly listeriosis outbreak which has already claimed 183 lives across South Africa.
In an interview with Voice of the Cape, Sedick said the MJCHT would re-assess its halaal certification of Rainbow based on the company's handling of the crisis.
The MJCHT has however stressed that certification is based on whether products are fit for consumption based on halaal certification standards and that the listeria contamination is in fact a food safety issue.
According to Sedick, the MJCT certifies five Rainbow plants, including three abattoirs in Worcester, Rustenburg and Hammersdale and processing plants in Hammersdale and Sasolburg.