Namib Mills’ bosses in SA over instant porridge debacle
Lab results expected this week
Earlier this week, Namib Mills temporarily recalled its popular Top Score instant porridge from the market as a precautionary measure.
Namib Mills CEO Ian Collard has travelled to South Africa with his senior executives to meet relevant communities and to follow the progress of an independent investigation into the deaths of three children who allegedly consumed the company’s Top Score instant porridge.
This is according to senior brand manager Marné Bouwer, who said results of samples from laboratory and forensic tests are expected at the end of the week.
Earlier this week, Namib Mills temporarily recalled its popular Top Score instant porridge from the market as a precautionary measure, while an investigation into the safety of the product is carried out. The product was immediately removed from store shelves in Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Lesotho, following the death of three children in the Eastern Cape. The children allegedly ate some of the home-prepared porridge. The production group of the suspected product was also identified and isolated.
Highest standards
"Although test results typically take up to two weeks, we have asked that the process be expedited to enable us to announce the results as quickly as possible," Bouwer said.
According to the South African news agency News24, it is the vanilla flavour of the instant porridge, produced on 6 August and which expires on 6 February 2026, that has been recalled. The neighbouring country's national consumer commission also encouraged consumers to take their purchased products back to dealers for a full refund.
Despite the fact that the incident was limited to a single household, Bouwer emphasised that the company remains committed to acting transparently and cooperating with all relevant authorities and role players to establish the facts.
"At Namib Mills, the health and well-being of our consumers is our top priority," she said. According to Bouwer, manufacturing at Namib Mills is done with the highest standards.
The recall of the product follows an instruction from the Spar group's central office on Saturday and through the division's managing director Siyolo Dick that Top Score Instant products must be removed from the chain store's shelves. The order was for the vanilla flavour of the instant porridge, with all stock at distribution centres also being recalled and distribution being ceased.
The Spar group has further removed the original banana, peanut butter, strawberry and caramel flavours in the one kilogram and two kilogram packs from its shelves.
Another news agency in South Africa reported that the three deceased children came from Mdantsane in Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape. A fourth child (7) has since been discharged from hospital and is in a stable condition. According to the Daily Maverick, two of the children were each a year old, and the third victim was four.
Reports circulated on social media that the porridge may have been accidentally contaminated with rat poison have not been confirmed or verified by the South African media.
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This is according to senior brand manager Marné Bouwer, who said results of samples from laboratory and forensic tests are expected at the end of the week.
Earlier this week, Namib Mills temporarily recalled its popular Top Score instant porridge from the market as a precautionary measure, while an investigation into the safety of the product is carried out. The product was immediately removed from store shelves in Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Lesotho, following the death of three children in the Eastern Cape. The children allegedly ate some of the home-prepared porridge. The production group of the suspected product was also identified and isolated.
Highest standards
"Although test results typically take up to two weeks, we have asked that the process be expedited to enable us to announce the results as quickly as possible," Bouwer said.
According to the South African news agency News24, it is the vanilla flavour of the instant porridge, produced on 6 August and which expires on 6 February 2026, that has been recalled. The neighbouring country's national consumer commission also encouraged consumers to take their purchased products back to dealers for a full refund.
Despite the fact that the incident was limited to a single household, Bouwer emphasised that the company remains committed to acting transparently and cooperating with all relevant authorities and role players to establish the facts.
"At Namib Mills, the health and well-being of our consumers is our top priority," she said. According to Bouwer, manufacturing at Namib Mills is done with the highest standards.
The recall of the product follows an instruction from the Spar group's central office on Saturday and through the division's managing director Siyolo Dick that Top Score Instant products must be removed from the chain store's shelves. The order was for the vanilla flavour of the instant porridge, with all stock at distribution centres also being recalled and distribution being ceased.
The Spar group has further removed the original banana, peanut butter, strawberry and caramel flavours in the one kilogram and two kilogram packs from its shelves.
Another news agency in South Africa reported that the three deceased children came from Mdantsane in Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape. A fourth child (7) has since been discharged from hospital and is in a stable condition. According to the Daily Maverick, two of the children were each a year old, and the third victim was four.
Reports circulated on social media that the porridge may have been accidentally contaminated with rat poison have not been confirmed or verified by the South African media.
- [email protected]
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