School of Public Leadership

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Browsing School of Public Leadership by Author "Allies, Bonita"

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    Bacteriological quality control of milk production in the Swartland Municipal Area
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2007-03) Allies, Bonita; Cloete, G. S.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis was to determine in terms of policy analysis why the bacteriological quality of milk in a particular area did not comply with statutory provisions during production. The policy issue is very complex due to the diversity of conditions that exist during the milking process, which may impact on the levels of bacteria in milk. Considering this diversity, various problematic conditions are likely to cause the bacteriological contamination of milk. Milk is regarded as safe for human consumption when laboratory quality tests indicate its bacteriological suitability. Intervention on the basis of milk control should assure that milk is produced and distributed within acceptable bacteriological levels. The ad hoc milk safety strategy of the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) was found to be inappropriate for the effective control of hygienic conditions during milk production. The existing strategy does not provide for suitable programmes to deal with this complex issue of policy and the suggestion is that it should be reviewed. Judged on the basis of success factors, a decline in milk bacteriological quality for the WCDM area revealed factors that were not effectively controlled during milk production. During the research period the hygienic quality of milk from the WCDM area was regulated and judged primarily by means of laboratory quality tests. Food safety requires much more than merely relying on quality tests. It is imperative that milk laboratory analyses should in all instances be harmonised by means of an evaluation of hygiene and sanitary conditions during production. How the problem situation with regard to milk quality is approached defines the implementation of strategy. The Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) of the WCDM have been implementing the requirements of applicable legislation, but each according to an individual approach. Such modi operandi provide for inconsistency in the execution of any policy. Implementing policy should be relevant, specific and adequate and should be target based. Consequently, the modification of policy is required to the extent of changing the approach when it does not comply with the afore-mentioned criteria, strategy or policy governing milk safety. More could be done by the WCDM to manage problems at milking sheds that is associated with the bacteriological quality of milk. Management control strategy is perceived to be inadequate and coupled with a lack of willingness to tackle the crux of the problem. Implementing legislative policy necessitate an objective approach coupled with an appropriate strategy. The findings of the empirical analysis together with a discussion of the implementation of the WCDM milk control strategy explains the shortcomings that was experienced in that regard. Therefore, an improved policy framework is proposed for controlling milk safety at milking sheds. In addition, a strategic framework is also proposed to administer the milk safety policy by way of programmes.