Latest news with #Viennas
The Citizen
15-07-2025
- The Citizen
Wanted man slips through the cracks
Wanted man slips through the cracks – again The fugitive wanted in connection with the disappearance of Sodwana Bay skipper John 'Matambu' Dercksen was reportedly apprehended for shoplifting – and let go after a court hearing. According to reports, the theft and subsequent arrest of Tomas Frederik 'Ferdie' Visser occurred in the Heidedal area of Bloemfontein on 17 March – one year and one day after Dercksen disappeared without trace. ALSO READ: R100k reward to catch fugitive linked to missing Sodwana skipper His hearing was held on 18 March; the charge was withdrawn and he was released. 'It was R151 for two packets of smoked Viennas and a tin of beans, so they didn't run his ID number, thinking it was just a petty theft,' said Cherie Eilertsen, Dercksen's sister. 'I'm encouraged that we now know where he is… And he's got to surface every two to three days to steal something to eat. 'I'm not focusing on the fact that they released him because there's a lot of good that's come from this; he's living rough, nobody's helping him, he's having to steal. 'We now need to bring him in.' Visser has been wanted in connection with Dercksen's disappearance in March last year. He was apprehended in Mozambique five days after Dercksen went missing, presumed murdered, but 'botched' extradition proceedings saw charges against him withdrawn. Although he was sent back to prison to see out the remainder of a previous sentence for which he had been parolled – and broken parole conditions – Visser managed to escape – while doing community service – from the Tonga Community Correction office in Mpumalanga at which he was being held. He has been on the run since, but a warrant of his arrest was issued earlier this year in connection with a sexual assault case in Nelspruit. An anonymous angler earlier this year posted a R100 000 reward for information leading to Visser's arrest. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
14-07-2025
- The Citizen
Missing Sodwana Bay skipper: Family receives reports of suspect spotted in Bloemfontein
The fugitive wanted in connection with the disappearance of Sodwana Bay skipper John 'Matambu' Dercksen was reportedly apprehended for shoplifting in Bloemfontein – and let go after a court hearing. The Zululand Observer reports that according to information, Tomas Frederik 'Ferdie' Visser was allegedly arrested for shoplifting in the Heidedal area of Bloemfontein on March 17 – one year and one day after Dercksen disappeared without trace. Dercksen was last seen in the company of Visser when the latter chartered Dercksen's boat in Sodwana Bay. He has since disappeared without a trace and his boat was later found, destroyed by a fire, in Mozambique. ALSO READ: R100k reward to catch fugitive linked to missing Sodwana skipper Visser's hearing in Bloemfontein was reportedly held on March 18, the charge was withdrawn and he was released. 'It was R151 for two packets of smoked Viennas and a tin of beans, so they didn't run his ID number, thinking it was just a petty theft,' said Cherie Eilertsen, Dercksen's sister. 'I'm encouraged that we now know where he is… And he's got to surface every two to three days to steal something to eat. 'I'm not focusing on the fact that they released him because there's a lot of good that's come from this; he's living rough, nobody's helping him, he's having to steal. 'We now need to bring him in.' Visser has been wanted in connection with Dercksen's disappearance in March last year. He was apprehended in Mozambique two months after Dercksen went missing, presumed murdered, but 'botched' extradition proceedings saw charges against him withdrawn. Although he was sent back to prison to see out the remainder of a previous sentence for which he had been out on parole (and broken parole conditions), Visser managed to escape from the correctional facility in Mbombela at which he was being held while doing community service. He has been on the run since. A warrant of his arrest was also issued earlier this year in connection with a sexual assault case in Mbombela. An anonymous angler earlier this year posted a R100 000 reward for information leading to Visser's arrest. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
South Africa's biosecurity crisis: food safety vs economic fallout
Banning certain food imports can have unintended consequences on the poor and job security. With the global nature of trade, countries can be exposed to imported biological threats, especially from food. That is why it is disturbing to hear Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen's comment that South Africa allowed its biosecurity to 'slide quite dramatically'. Biosecurity is the way we prevent biological contamination or disease entering our country – and how we monitor and eradicate such issues within our borders. Radical action, such as banning certain food imports – as was done recently with chicken imports from Brazil – can have unintended consequences. In this case, the imports included vast amounts of what is known as mechanically deboned meat, used in the manufacture of polony, Viennas, Russians, braai wors, bangers, frozen burgers, meat pies and corned meat. ALSO READ: Bird flu: Government lifts ban on most chicken imports from Brazil Shortages of this affordable protein would affect poorer people and could place thousands of jobs at risk. Obviously, the country would, in theory, be safer from contamination from imported foodstuffs – but at what cost? Balancing safety with broader economic issues is what Steenhuisen and the department's experts have done in lifting the ban on imports from parts of Brazil not affected by avian flu. Effective surveillance, accompanied by pragmatism, has to be our watchword when it comes to biosecurity. NOW READ: Bird flu: worry not, it is safe to eat eggs and chicken
IOL News
27-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Eskort warns of food security crisis as chicken imports from Brazil prohibited
This ban, enacted by the Department of Agriculture on 15 May due to an avian flu outbreak in Brazil's Rio Grande Do Sul state, has raised urgent alarms within the local meat industry. Image: Pexels/IOL South Africa stands on the precipice of a significant food security crisis following the government's decision to ban chicken imports from Brazil. This ban, enacted by the Department of Agriculture on 15 May due to an avian flu outbreak in Brazil's Rio Grande Do Sul state, has raised urgent alarms within the local meat industry. Arnold Prinsloo, CEO of meat producer Eskort, has expressed grave concerns over the ban's implications for the country's most vulnerable populations, highlighting that production lines may halt by the end of June if the restrictions are not reversed. 'This will deprive South Africa's most vulnerable citizens of more than 400 million low-cost meals per month,' Prinsloo warned during a press briefing. He emphasised that many families and numerous school feeding schemes rely heavily on processed chicken products such as polony, Viennas, Russians, and Braaiwors. The looming halt in production poses a serious risk of widespread hunger and malnutrition, especially among low-income households. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Prinsloo has called for the Department of Agriculture to adopt a more tailored approach, akin to that of neighbouring countries like Namibia and Mozambique, which have managed their import bans more cautiously. He advocates for a regionalised ban that focuses solely on the affected state, allowing imports from the rest of Brazil. 'A pragmatic and proactive decision to accept imports from unaffected regions will go a long way to heading off the looming crisis in South Africa,' he stated. Echoing these sentiments, industry bodies, including the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters and the South African Meat Processors Association, have urged the government to align with World Organisation for Animal Health protocols, which would facilitate continued trade from unaffected areas. Countries such as Japan and Saudi Arabia have successfully implemented zoning strategies, allowing them to import poultry while shielding public health. The economic repercussions are profound. South Africa imports around 19,000 tonnes of mechanically deboned chicken from Brazil monthly. This quantity is essential for producing a staggering 404 million low-cost meals each month when mixed with other ingredients, according to Prinsloo. The projected 4- to 6-week gap in supply may see production facilities idle, leading to potential job losses and destabilising the lower living standards market, creating a recipe for socio-economic upheaval. Critics within the local poultry industry have claimed they can fill the gap in supply. However, Prinsloo counters these assertions by stating that while there may be capacity for fresh or frozen chicken, local producers fail to meet the essential need for mechanically deboned chicken, a product for which South Africa relies on Brazil for 92%. 'This is why the situation is extremely serious,' he added. Finally, Eskort touts its rigorous production processes as ensuring the safety of its products amid health concerns related to avian flu. By heating mechanically deboned meat to temperatures exceeding 70°C, they produce safe, consumable products, a practice that has been integral to their 108-year history without any food safety issues.
