Top Score Instant Porridge – Official Update

02 Oct 2024 | News & Events | by Marné Bouwer

Namib Mills is deeply saddened by the recent incident in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, South Africa, where three young children tragically lost their lives after consuming home-cooked porridge. There have been rumours in the media suggesting that our Top Score Instant porridge may have been involved, which prompted an immediate and proactive response from our company. We wish to emphasize that, as of now, there is no evidence directly linking our product to this tragedy.

At Namib Mills, we take any food safety allegations extremely seriously. The health and well-being of our consumers is always our top priority. In the interest of transparency and to assure the public, this statement serves to update our valued customers and stakeholders on the actions we have taken in response to these allegations.

Actions Taken:

- Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily withdrawn Top Score Instant Porridge from the markets in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and Lesotho while investigations are ongoing.

- Our CEO and senior management team travelled to Mdantsane to personally engage with the affected community and to oversee the progress of an independent investigation.

- The production batch in question has been identified and isolated. Samples have been sent to an independent, accredited third-party laboratory for comprehensive testing. Although results typically take up to two weeks, we have requested an expedited process to ensure we can share findings with the public as soon as possible.

- Although this is an isolated incident connected to one household only, we remain fully committed to cooperating with all relevant authorities to establish the facts and provide full transparency.

Commitment to Safety:

Namib Mills upholds the highest food safety standards across all our products. The independent testing of our Top Score Instant porridge is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure the quality and safety of everything we produce. This process is intended to reassure the public and our retail partners that all our products continue to meet the strictest regulatory standards.

We will provide ongoing updates through our social media platforms and our website to keep our customers, stakeholders, and the broader public informed as we work through this investigation. Namib Mills remains steadfast in our commitment to the health and safety of the nation, and we will continue to prioritize these values above all else.

Released by:

Marné Bouwer, Senior Brand Manager
Tel: +264 61 290 1000
Email: mb@nm.na