By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Tiger Brands has confirmed that attorneys representing its lead reinsurer in the listeriosis matter have presented a settlement offer to the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
The food manufacturer remains under public and legal scrutiny, nearly seven years after a deadly outbreak linked to its polony products claimed over 200 lives and infected more than 1,000 people.
The settlement offer comes while the class action remains in its first phase, focused on establishing whether Tiger Brands can be held legally liable for the outbreak — only if that’s proven will the court decide how much is owed to victims.
“[This is] part of a road-map to a possible overall resolution of the listeriosis class action,”the group notes in a statement.
In 2017 and 2018, a total of 216 people died following a listeriosis outbreak. A lass action was filed against Tiger Brands on behalf of more than a thousand people after the origin of the disease was traced back to Tiger Brands’s plant in Polokwane.
The lead reinsurer — QBE Insurance Group Limited — with primary responsibility for defending the class action against Tiger Brands, has, with the company’s support and agreement, authorised the insurers’ attorneys to make settlement offers to specific individuals.
The settlement offer, made on 25 April, 2025, includes an undertaking to pay the claimants’ proven or agreed compensatory damages under Section 61 of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008. The offer is subject to certain conditions and has been made without admission of liability, in full and final settlement of the claimants’ claims.
No details of the offer or payments will be made public to protect the privacy of the individuals participating in the settlement offer.
Today’s announcement represents an important milestone and follows shortly on measures already taken in February 2025 to offer interim relief in the form of advance payments to identified claimants with urgent medical needs,” the group notes.
According to Tjaart Kruger, CEO, this demonstrates Tiger Brands’s commitment to continue to work closely with its insurers and their appointed attorneys to explore a resolution of the entire class action.
Tiger Brands and the insurers’ attorneys are engaging with the plaintiffs’ attorneys to ensure the timely implementation of the offer and settlement of proven or agreed compensatory damages as soon as possible.
The next step is for the plaintiffs’ attorneys to convey the offer to qualifying claimants, after which the damages of those who accept the offer will be quantified. This process is expected to take several weeks, with arrangements to quantify damages following thereafter.
The class action, which is managed in two stages, is still in the first stage, where the court will determine liability.
“If Tiger Brands is found liable, the second stage will address causation and compensation for qualifying claimants.”
Tiger Brands has assured that it has adequate product liability insurance cover for a group of its size.
The Listeriosis class attorneys noted in a joint statement they welcome Tiger Brands’ “effective admission” of liability for the 2017/2018 listeriosis outbreak.
The attorneys commend Tiger Brands, its shareholders, and insurers for agreeing to compensate victims, viewing it as a step towards corporate accountability and justice.
“While this is a significant breakthrough, serious challenges remain. Many victims of the outbreak have not yet come forward and therefore have not yet been identified or located.
“The Minister of Health has requested a full update and has shown his commitment to assisting with providing Department of Health records to help confirm and trace victims,” according to the statement.