Lawyers representing listeriosis claimants and food producer, Tiger Brands, have announced that they’ve reached an agreement that will see some claimants in the ongoing class action receive advance payments.
The payments will be made to the first number of persons seeking interim assistance to address urgent medical needs while the class action continues.
However, the parties say they will not be making details of the payments public to protect the privacy of the individuals.
Amy Tuchten from Richard Spoor Incorporated, one of the legal firms involved in the class action, says the case is ongoing.
“We feel that victims have been advocated for in as much as we can. We are glad to have open lines of communication with the defendants, and we are glad that this is a first step. We reiterate that preparations for trial are ongoing and the pursuance of justice for all of those affected by the listeriosis outbreak is ongoing.”
Tiger Brands was plunged into the spotlight in 2017 during a listeriosis outbreak in the country that was caused by contaminated foods.
The outbreak killed over 200 people, while many others are still dealing with serious health issues and complications.
The company faces claims for damages of up to R2.5 billion in an ongoing legal process.
