Freeman Razemba Crime Reporter
THE Government has dismissed social media reports of contaminated meat on the market as false.

Efforts are however, being undertaken to intensify inspection processes to monitor meat sold in supermarkets and butcheries, a Cabinet minister has said.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri said a combined team of  officials from his ministry and that of Health and Child Care was carrying out the checks.

Minister Shiri told journalists in yesterday’s post-Cabinet briefing that there were reports that some abattoirs were buying cheap cattle infected with diseases such as anthrax, foot and mouth and theileriosis.

“But let me also talk about what has been coming out on social media whereby someone was broadcasting that some infected cattle were being slaughtered in Mhondoro and sold to butcheries in  towns.

“We have two to three extension workers in every ward and no report has been received to that effect, especially from Mhondoro, and that now casts doubt on the authenticity and reliability of the report,” said the minister.

The Government, he said, had noted the reports and directed the Veterinary Services Department to inspect the slaughter  processes.

An instruction had also been issued that no cattle from disease affected areas should be sold for slaughter.

Livestock for slaughter can be accessed from other regions which are free from diseases, but whenever slaughter takes place, meat inspectors should be at the  abattoirs.

Any condemned meat, which is unsuitable for human consumption, will be destroyed.