Cape Town - The City of Cape Town’s Environmental Health Service has expressed concern over the increased threats and interference in the efforts of staff members when conducting Covid-19 compliance inspections.
The City said that these inspections are a key focus area for the service as part of the City’s response to the pandemic. Information gleaned from these inspections are also relayed to the national Health Department on a weekly basis.
Compliance inspections at businesses, schools, Early Childhood Development Centres and funeral undertakers are continuing relatively incident free but City staff have reported an increase in threats and interference when they attempt to do the same in some areas – particularly informal settlements – in the metropole.
“Staff are being refused entry into certain areas, and prevented from doing their jobs. Not only do they need to monitor for compliance with Covid-19 protocols and other health-related legislation, but staff also fulfil an important education and awareness role that now hangs in the balance.
“It appears that our Environmental Health practitioners are being targeted. It is likely that these attacks may either be politically motivated or spurred on by agitators who use service delivery frustrations as a guise to deter the City from conducting its business in informal communities,” said Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien.
“Further, our staff are seen to be easy targets by lawless individuals.”
The basket of services offered by the Environmental Health Service includes:
- water quality monitoring;
- food control and compliance;
- waste management;
- health surveillance of premises;
- surveillance and prevention of communicable diseases (excluding immunisation);
- vector (pest) control;
- environmental pollution control (including air and noise pollution);
- disposal of the dead; and chemical safety
The service also helps other City departments with health and hygiene promotion projects and service delivery to informal settlements.
Badroodien added: “It’s unacceptable that staff are having to face obstacles such as these, but sadly, it is not surprising. We have seen increased threats and attacks directed at staff in recent months, including hijackings, staff being held hostage or caught in gang crossfire, and break-ins at our facilities.
“I urge community members to band against those who are deliberately obstructing staff in their duties, but also putting the health and safety of communities at risk in the process.
“Our residents continue to be vulnerable to Covid-19, which means we have to monitor and continue educating the public about health and safety protocols,” he said.
“But, there are other health priorities in communities too that cannot be overlooked, and keeping out the people who could potentially help, just doesn’t make any sense.”
Cape Argus