Windhoek destroys 580 tonnes of unsafe food

The City of Windhoek destroyed about 580 000 kg of food deemed unfit for human consumption over the past year as part of efforts to improve food safety and protect public health.

Windhoek mayor Sakarias Uunona disclosed the figures during the city's first commemoration of World Food Safety Day on Wednesday, saying the municipality had also conducted 140 random food, water and milk sampling exercises and trained 227 food handlers.

Uunona said unsafe products were detained, confiscated or removed from sale to prevent them from reaching consumers.

"As a result, approximately 580 000 kg of assorted food products were condemned and destroyed after being declared unfit for human consumption," he said.

Uunona said most food, water and milk samples collected from formal and informal businesses complied with safety standards.

Clear message

He said the municipality had taken legal action against businesses that failed to meet food safety requirements, including the recent closure of a food business through a court order.

“This action sends a clear message that food safety standards are not merely recommendations, they are essential requirements designed to protect public health and save lives."

Beyond enforcement, the mayor said council was investing in education by training 227 food handlers and promoting responsible practices across the food supply chain.

He highlighted the global impact of unsafe food, citing World Health Organisation estimates that about 600 million people fall ill from contaminated food each year, while around 420 000 die from foodborne diseases.

"These are not merely statistics. They represent families affected, livelihoods disrupted, opportunities lost, and lives cut short," he said.

The mayor said Windhoek was strengthening its science-based approach through food safety data collection, monitoring and corrective measures.

He also urged businesses, food handlers and consumers to take responsibility for food safety, saying it required cooperation across the board.