South African Bishops hail settlement in listeriosis case as ‘victory for the voiceless’

The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has welcomed the long-overdue settlement offer from Tiger Brands in the landmark listeriosis class action lawsuit, calling it a “momentous breakthrough for the voiceless” and a moral victory after years of corporate silence and suffering for South Africa’s poor.

In a statement issued on May 12, 2025, the Justice and Peace Commission of the SACBC praised the legal development, while also challenging the food industry and broader corporate sector to reflect on the ethical failures exposed by the crisis. The Commission said the settlement must now move swiftly, without delay, to bring closure and compensation to the many victims, especially the poor, who suffered due to one of the deadliest foodborne outbreaks in modern history.

“This is a sign of the victory of the Risen Lord who has walked with them for seven years on the road to Emmaus,” said Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa, CMM, Chair of the SACBC Justice and Peace Commission.

The 2017–2018 listeriosis outbreak, which claimed more than 200 lives and infected over 1,000 people, was traced to contaminated processed meats produced by Tiger Brands. The incident, confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) as the largest recorded listeriosis outbreak in the world, had a devastating impact on low-income communities, for whom such products are a dietary staple.

The bishops were clear that the matter extends far beyond legal technicalities. The Justice and Peace Commission has stood alongside affected families for more than seven years, advocating not just for financial compensation, but for dignity, accountability, and corporate conversion.

“The contaminated processed meats… are the common food for the poor and the struggling middle class,” the statement noted. “This means that the majority of the listeriosis victims are the voiceless members of our society, those easily forgotten by those in the corridors of corporate power.”

The Commission did not hold back its criticism of Tiger Brands’ delay in reaching a settlement. It accused the company of dragging its feet in recognising responsibility and providing redress to victims. However, the bishops cautiously welcomed the eventual move as a signal of possible “conversion of corporate heart” and a step toward justice.

“It has been disappointing that Tiger Brands took so long to effectively admit de facto liability and provide much-needed closure to affected families,” the bishops said. “But we hope this development marks the beginning of a new vision of humanity in which powerful companies are called out and held to account when their corporate greed causes massive harm.”

The SACBC used the opportunity to issue a broader challenge to South Africa’s corporate culture and legal system, condemning prolonged class action suits involving vulnerable groups.

“In legal circles, they say justice delayed is justice denied. For us in the Church… we declare to all companies involved in class action lawsuits affecting the poorest that when such lawsuits extend beyond three years, we will consider them a moral scandal that needs to be denounced.”

Bishop Mbuyisa called on both Tiger Brands and the class action attorneys to act quickly and transparently to finalise the compensation process and ensure that no victim is left behind. He also appealed to the Department of Health to play an active role in guaranteeing the rights of all victims are protected.

The bishops also linked this moment to the Church’s broader vision for 2025 as a Jubilee Year, urging a resolution to the case in the spirit of mercy, healing, and justice.

“We therefore make an ethical appeal… that this year should not end without closure and relief for the victims,” the statement urged.

In keeping with the biblical concept of Jubilee as a time of liberation and restoration, the bishops called on companies across South Africa, including those in the coal mining and pharmaceutical industries, to reconsider their long-running legal battles with sick and exploited workers.

The SACBC’s Justice and Peace Commission has played a prophetic role throughout the case, consistently centring the voices of the poor and challenging corporate power from a Gospel perspective. Rooted in Catholic social teaching, their advocacy frames justice not as a transaction but as a moral imperative tied to human dignity.

“Our prayer is that the decision today by Tiger Brands sets an example for other companies,” the bishops said. “These companies should seek fair settlements and stop dragging the cases out for years, which only deepens the suffering of the poor.”

As South Africa continues to wrestle with inequality, corporate accountability, and public health, the Church’s unwavering presence beside the victims of the listeriosis crisis offers a model of faithful advocacy in a post-apartheid society still seeking justice for its most vulnerable.