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Cape Town - An export consignment of South African maize has become a political football in Kenya, and there are fears that South African maize exports to that country, amounting to 560 000 tons over the past year, could come to a stop.
Competition between maize-producing countries wishing to dispose of their surplus crops is intense and there are plenty of agencies operating in Kenya.
The 6 350 to 8 201 ton consignment of maize from the Afgri stable was obtained by a second company at the end of 2008 after it had already complied with all the export requirements.
Afgri chief executive Chris Venter says the maize had been tested and the company had paid for the consignment.
From the time the maize arrived in Kenya, an intense public debate has raged about whether the maize is contaminated and, if so, whether it has been put into safe keeping and whether it is not perhaps being distributed to certain areas in Kenya in order to endanger people's lives for political reasons.
The uncertainty about the maize's safe keeping or otherwise has led to an extended debate in the country's media, in which ministers are being played off against one other and even the churches have warned of the lack of regard for people's lives.
Police and health inspectors have been sent to millers and retailers to seize the maize, and photos of bags of maize clearly displaying the country of origin - South Africa - have appeared in newspapers. It is not clear whether these form part of the controversial 6 350 tons of maize.
Nico Hawkins, industrial services manager at Grain SA, says the organisation's investigation has revealed that an incident occurred in Mozambique's Maputo Harbour during the process of protecting the maize from pests, when contamination could well have taken place.
Senior members of Kenya's Department of Health and members of the country's Bureau of Standards said that over the past week steps had been taken to return the questionable maize to South Africa.
Dr Emiley Mogajane of South Africa's Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries says the department is aware of the contentious issue and regards it in a serious light, as it could negatively impact South Africa's relations with Kenya. The department will issue a statement in this regard at a later stage, once the requisite information has been obtained from the Kenyan embassy.
But the final twist in the tale is that Venter says his information indicates that the maize is now on the way to the Middle East which raises questions about the allegations of contamination.
-Sake24
