City urges business to observe health and safety protocols
05 June 2020
Statement by the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, Alderman James Vos
Yesterday, 4 June 2020, I had the pleasure of visiting Stripform Packaging in Atlantis to see first-hand how its health and safety protocols have allowed operations to continue. I was joined by City’s Head of Enterprise and Investment Department, Lance Greyling, officials from our Investment Facilitation Office and members of the Atlantis Industrial Initiative.
Stripform Packaging, which has been in operation since 1975, specialises in the manufacturing of customised high-quality plastic bags with various closures and print, fully compliant with international medical and food packaging standards.
I was particularly impressed to hear how all their products are 100% recyclable and how the company strives to produce products with the lowest possible carbon footprint.
This company employs 102 permanent staff members and so the implementation of health and safety measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 have been vital to ensure that operations can continue so that they can be able to pay salaries.
Speaking with some of the employees, I heard of how they had embraced and welcomed the initiatives put in place to ensure their safety. All employees, visitors and contractors are screened when entering the premises, the wearing of masks is compulsory and hand sanitisers have been placed at all the entrances.
Information and awareness notices have been placed on all notice boards, employees have received training on COVID-19 Safety Protocols in the workplace, washing of hands is encouraged , employees have undergone risk assessments and vulnerable employees have been identified.
The COVID-19 pandemic and associated preventative measures has fundamentally changed the way work is conducted. As we adjust to the new normal and new ways of working, these protocols are the difference between remaining in business and closure.
The City is serious about supporting and growing the Atlantis economy, and that is why we opened the dedicated Atlantis Investment Facilitation Office (AIFO) to help support investors and business people in Atlantis and surrounds.
The support offered by the AIFO as well as the Investment Facilitation Unit in the City’s Department of Enterprise and Investment, which both work to enhance the ease of doing business, is now more important than ever.
The Western Cape Government identified five areas within the Cape Town metro as ‘hot spots’. The team at the Department of Enterprise and Investment is preparing to assist with workplace safety and economic hotspot management through our Industrial action plan implementation.
We will roll out phase one of the industrial action plan in the Dunoon area and identified Killarney Gardens, Montague Gardens and Paarden Eiland as the first industrial areas. As more information on ‘hot spot’ identification becomes available, we will extend our interventions to other industrial areas.
The Atlantis Industrial Initiative (AII) was established in 2013 and it represents businesses operating in the Atlantis Industrial area. The vision of the organisation is to make Atlantis the preferred investment destination in the Western Cape by promoting and creating a competitive and sustainable business environment. The City will continue to work toward lowering the costs of doing business and transacting with the City to making it easier for expansion and investment to resume again.
Together with the officials, I will keep working to ensure that businesses in Cape Town have the information and support they need to get back to and stay in operation safely. By working together, we can weather this storm and emerge stronger than before.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
