Mduduzi M

DANGEROUS/CHEMICALLY CONTAMINATED FOOD PRODUCT – IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED

Reference: Parmalat Cheese Slices / President Hyper, Krugersdorp To: The Chief Executive Officer – Parmalat South Africa The Quality Assurance & Legal Department – Parmalat South Africa The Regional Manager – Pick n Pay Hyper (Krugersdorp) The Store Director – President Hyper, Krugersdorp Date: 05 March 2026 From: Mduduzi Mashego Krugersdorp 072 364 3040 motau.mj@aol.com 1. INTRODUCTION AND URGENCY: I am writing to you regarding an incident that occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday, 3 March 2026, involving a food product manufactured by Parmalat and purchased from your President Hyper store in Krugersdorp. This is not a routine complaint about taste or quality. This is a formal notification regarding the suspected chemical contamination of a food item that has caused physical harm and distress to multiple members of my household. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT AND SYMPTOMS: Upon returning home on the afternoon of 3 March 2026, I prepared sandwiches using cheese slices from a 900g packet of the Parmalat brand. Upon the first bite, I experienced an immediate and violent chemical reaction. The taste was not of spoiled dairy; it was consistent with a detergent-based acid or caustic substance. I immediately expelled the food from my mouth, but the chemical residue remained. Despite vigorous rinsing with water, the sensation did not subside. Disturbingly, the water appeared to exacerbate the issue, seemingly assisting the chemical to spread. Within moments, I experienced a burning sensation in my nasal passages and my sinuses felt as though they were chemically "opening," forcing me to inhale fumes with every breath. I initially suspected the bread, but after discarding the first slices and trying a new slice from the same packet, the reaction was even more severe. Subsequently, my family informed me that they had encountered the identical experience with the same packet of cheese. They correctly identified the source as the cheese, disposed of the packet, and purchased an alternative brand. 3. HEALTH IMPACT: As a direct result of ingesting (and inhaling) this contaminated product, I have suffered two days of severe gastrointestinal distress. The mental anguish of having what felt like a chemical agent introduced into my body through a staple food item has been profound. My family members also reported varying degrees of discomfort. We have six people in this household whose health was placed at risk due to this product. 4. THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND RESPONSIBILITY: I understand that my family does not possess the till slip for this specific transaction, as the urgency of the situation led them to discard the product and receipt before I returned home. However, I refuse to believe that my family is the only one affected. I am almost certain that President Hyper, Krugersdorp, has received other complaints regarding this specific batch of Parmalat cheese. It is statistically improbable that a packet causing such an extreme chemical reaction is an isolated incident. It is your responsibility to check your records, your return logs, and your customer complaints from the past week to identify this batch. 5. FORMAL DEMANDS AND EXPECTATIONS: I am holding Parmalat South Africa, as the manufacturer, and President Hyper, Krugersdorp, as the retailer, jointly and severally liable for this incident. You have a legal and moral duty to ensure the food you place on the shelves is safe for human consumption. Therefore, I demand the following immediate actions: 1. URGENT INVESTIGATION & RECALL: You must immediately investigate which batch (production date and batch number) of the 900g Parmalat cheese slices was on sale at the Krugersdorp store. If there is any doubt, a voluntary recall must be issued to prevent further harm to the public. You have a duty of care to the community. 2. FULL WRITTEN EXPLANATION: I demand a formal written explanation from Parmalat's Quality Assurance department detailing how a chemical agent could enter your food production line. I expect transparency regarding the source of the contamination. 3. COMPENSATION FOR HARM AND DISTRESS: · Reimbur*****t: Full financial compensation for the spoiled product and the replacement food my family was forced to buy. · Medical Consideration: A gesture of goodwill acknowledging the physical suffering and two days of illness endured. · Distress Compensation: A meaningful acknowledgment of the severe shock, distress, and breach of trust caused by this incident. My family purchased your product in good faith and was poisoned for it. 6. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS: I am placing you on formal notice that I am documenting every detail of this incident, including the physical symptoms, the timeline, and this correspondence. I expect you to treat this matter with the gravity it deserves. While I am giving you the opportunity to investigate and make this right internally, please be advised that I am prepared to escalate this matter to the National Consumer Commission (NCC) , the Department of Health, and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) should your response be inadequate, delayed, or dismissive. I expect an acknowledgement of receipt within 24 hours and a substantive response detailing your findings and proposed remediation within 2 calendar days. You may contact me via email or phone at the details provided above. Livid, Mduduzi