CAPE TOWN (SD) – South African government has refuted importing poisonous bananas from Somalia, terming the allegations as fake news.

In a statement, Soutb Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) said the country did not import bananas containing Helicobacter from Somalia.

“The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the fake news about imported bananas from Somalia,” it said.

The department said South Africa regulates the importation of plants and plant products in terms of the Agricultural Pests Act,1983 (Act No. 36 of 1983) and its associated regulations, which require imports to be subjected to inspection at ports of entry or, depending on the protocol, consignments can be subjected to extended detention for further inspection, before their release into the retail space.

“If the consignment does not comply with South African import requirements, entry into the republic is not granted. Imported bananas are carefully examined by the DALRRD inspectors at the ports of entry, to ensure that there are no quarantine pests, food-borne diseases or any other harmful foreign material that can negatively affect the agricultural environment/industry and, in particular, consumers,” it said.

In past few days, netizens have been circulating a video alleging that tones of poisonous Somali bananas had made their into South Africa.