Health welcomes Tiger Brands’ listeriosis settlement offer
The Department of Health has welcomed Tiger Brands’ decision to submit its final settlement offer in the listeriosis class action case.
Attorneys representing the company’s lead reinsurer delivered the proposal to the plaintiffs' legal team.
The class action arose after the 2017–2018 listeriosis outbreak, which claimed 216 lives.
The outbreak was traced to contaminated processed meats — primarily polony and viennas — produced at Tiger Brands’ Polokwane facility and distributed from its Germiston plant in Gauteng, prompting legal action on behalf of more than a thousand affected individuals.
The case is still in its first phase, focused on determining whether Tiger Brands can be held legally accountable for the outbreak.
Only if liability is established will the court move on to assess compensation amounts.
The settlement offer covers three groups: individuals who contracted listeriosis, dependents who lost caregivers, and legal guardians of infected children. It provides for compensation for verified or agreed damages, though Tiger Brands maintains the offer is made without an admission of liability.
The company noted that this latest offer follows earlier advance payments made in 2025 to claimants with urgent medical needs and reflects its commitment to reaching a fair and timely resolution.
Next, the plaintiffs' attorneys will communicate the offer to eligible claimants — a process expected to take several weeks before the damages phase begins.
The Department of Health labelled the offer a meaningful step toward resolving a lengthy legal battle and providing closure to affected families.
“The Department acknowledges the roles of all parties involved, including the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Tiger Brands, Richard Spoor Inc. and LHL Attorneys, who put the sufferings of the victims and their families at the centre stage during a protracted legal process,” said Health spokesperson Foster Mohale.
The department also urged families who believe they lost loved ones due to the outbreak to come forward with supporting evidence.
This will allow for clinical records to be reviewed in order to verify if the claims qualify for settlement.
Mohale added that the NICD is providing the medical records required for this assessment process.
“The outbreak highlighted the importance of consistent and strict adherence to food safety practices in the processing and handling of ready-to-eat foods, especially for mass supply. Food safety and hygiene practices remain crucial for public health, preventing foodborne illnesses, reducing food waste and avoiding costly food recalls,” said Mohale.
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