Top butchery and Abattoir Bellevue Abattoir and the Yellowcob chain of Spar stores have been fingered in a scandal that has rocked the Zimbabwe beef market. Both the abattoir and Yellowcob denied the allegations.
The link between Bellevue and infected cattle started when a picture of a truck transporting cattle that were seemingly sick surfaced on social media.
The story started with an audio that was shared on social media accusing butcheries of buying infected beef in the Mhondoro area. Herds of cattle in Mhondoro are alleged to be infected by Theileriosis commonly known as January disease. The disease affect cattle in most parts of Zimbabwe and is usually associated with the rainy season.
Bellevue issued a statement to deny the social media reports stating that they do not buy infected beef or dead carcasses of cattle. They further went on to assure the public that their beef is tested by veterinarians for disease.
Yellowcob Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd which operates a chain of Spar supermarkets also denied that they are in the business of intentionally buying cattle infected with Theileriosis or any other disease and selling to their customers. “All beef procured by Yellowcob Enterprises P/L and sold in the SPAR corporate stores comes from the following registered Abattoirs and has been inspected by the relevant health authonty and all animals and carcasses are graded and passed as sate tor human consumption: Koala Park, Bellevue Abattoirs, MC Meats (Pvt) Ltd and Mbokodo,” read part of the statement