Mtwalume residents turn down free cold drinks
Ward 10 councillor Bernard Tryon said what was concerning was that the drinks were not being given to just anyone.
Disgruntled Mtwalume residents seized vehicles belonging to Coca-Cola Beverage South Africa (CCBSA) on July 18, saying that they did not trust the free soft drinks being given to the community.
Members of the KZN Community Crime Prevention Association and the Mthulini Traditional Council requested the drivers to park their vehicles at the council’s premises, demanding that the management of CCBSA personally come and explain more about the free drinks, before the release of their vehicles.
The residents said they are still recovering from the traumatic experience of children losing their lives after eating certain items bought from spaza shops in 2024.
Sibusiso Mhlongo, chairperson of the KZN Community Crime Prevention Association, said he first saw a social media post warning people not to accept these free drinks because after people drink them, they fall sick and are admitted to hospital.
Mhlongo said earlier last week he saw the CCBSA representatives delivering the soft drinks at the Mathulini Shopping Centre, which is where his concerns began.
“I asked them what they were doing in Mtwalume with these drinks because people are saying negative things about them. The answers they gave us were not satisfactory; hence, we wanted the company to respond,’ he said.
Also, Ward 10 councillor Bernard Tryon said what was concerning was that the drinks were not being given to just anyone.
“We heard that people fall sick after allegedly drinking these free cold drinks. We’ve also seen on social media that these vehicles are being chased away in some areas. What was more concerning is that these vehicles don’t just stop on the road and hand out to people walking by. They go deep into our communities,” he said.
The chairperson of Women of Umzumbe, Dr Bongekile Sithole, said the only thing that will put them at ease is the management of CCBSA confirming that the vehicles belong to them, that drinks are safe for consumption and why they are free.
In a statement, CCBSA said it recently launched its innovative two-litre returnable bottle, also known as RefPET, in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Soweto.
They said this was part of the company’s commitment to not only make the drinks more accessible and affordable, but also to play a role in helping to reduce waste.
CCBSA’s Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability director, Bame Modimogale, said they have once again embarked on this initiative to actively distribute free sample two-litre bottles in local communities through identifiable and trained brand ambassadors in Soweto and parts of KZN, to educate consumers and stakeholders about the returnable bottles.
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