Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) Head of Marketing & Public Relations Hazel Mafwenko – Zulu has urged members of the public not to buy bottled drinking water and drinks from the streets and unknown sources, reports Pan African Radio Journalist Hermit Hachilonde.
In a statement, Ms. Zulu said the bottled drinking water, packaged and distributed by unverified sources may pose a health risk to consumers.
“We have noted with concern the increase in the number of people particularly on the streets and market places selling unregistered brands whose quality is definitely questionable”
“We want to alert all consumers countrywide to be weary of such and insist on buying bottled drinking water and drinks from reliable sources that have valid licenses from ZABS ” she said
She revealed that ZABS is aware that some unscrupulous people have invaded the streets around the country selling the named products to unsuspecting consumers.
Ms. Zulu stressed the need for consumers to know that some deceitful people are taking advantage of the hot season to sell especially unsafe bottled water which may even be in used bottles to deceive unsuspecting consumers.
She has since appealed to members of the public to be quality conscious, and stick to the brands that they know and avoid buying bottled drinking water from the streets as it may not have the relevant product information that can be used as reference information should there be quality and safety concerns.
Ms. Zulu also urged consumers to take responsibility and desist from unsafe bottled drinking water to help avert water-borne diseases which have become common especially during this season.
ZABS is just another tax on consumers, like NAPSA – jobs for the boys, with no real benefit to citizens. Their inspections are utterly meaningless, except for the fees they demand from complying companies.
So what is this ZABS going to do about the companies behind the sale of such poisons to the public? You cannot just ask people to STOP drinking water when they are thirsty and tell them; cheap water is expensive, we have to find to way to PUNISH such companies supplying unbranded stuff. Zambia my country, my home, my pride…
Where do you think they will get money from to buy genuine mineral water when Zambia is block, the economy is in shambles huh ,,,, And the chats selling that water in the streets it’s also their only source of income. 1 kwacha per bottle and it’s cold just like manzi valley or whatever you call it, how can you pay 5 kwacha for mineral water when you’re block huh, I would rather pay 1 kwacha. I work but I still buy the 1 kwacha water to also help those poor young boys and girls
They are toothless. what they should do is fine the suppliers (not sellers) of unbranded water. that water would be tap water but even branded could be tap water in the name of spring water. Question is: where are the springs where these companies are getting their water?
Got to love my country. So ZABS know about this scam but it’s the consumers responsibility to be on the look out and ensure they don’t buy fake water!
Arrest the people selling the fake water, arrest the ones making it. Only goes to show tax is not even paid. If I was minister responsible for this, I am firing Hazel.
Don’t know what’s going on in Zambia. People are so greedy that they harm their own kind.
Weak quasi government institutions. Utterly amazing!