Groot Constantia opens store with focus on local talent and strict COVID-19 safety measures in place
15 December 2020
Statement by the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management Alderman James Vos
Today, I joined the opening of a new store at Groot Constantia, the oldest wine producing farm in South Africa, that has a specific focus on growing and showcasing local talent. This store will be home to local arts and crafts, with the aim of becoming an economic development hub via tourism, wine and heritage.
Wine tourism is a major part of Cape Town’s range of amazing attractions for local and international tourists, and Groot Constantia also plays a key role in celebrating the wine heritage of the Mother City. As a long standing partner of Cape Town Tourism the recent crowning of their Sauvignon Blanc as the best in the world at the prestigious 2020 International Wine Challenge, is another achievement that we look forward to sharing when promoting our beautiful city.
The new store being opened today is a perfect place to display just how much creative talent Cape Town has to offer. No doubt the measures put in place to combat Covid-19 seriously impacted the wine industry in Cape Town, specifically as alcohol was banned and wine exports were brought to a halt. As the resurgence of COVID-19 infections continues to rise during what has been dubbed the second wave, it is critical that all businesses continue to observe the safety regulations put in place to help limit the spread of the virus – wearing masks at all times, maintaining social distance, and insisting on hand sanitising when entering a store. I am pleased to see that Groot Constantia has all these measures in place.
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is offering employees in the wine sector financial relief in the form of the Wine Tourism Worker Support Stipend. The R12 million support fund aims to assist those who are experiencing financial strain due to the pandemic. The relief fund will be able to allocate R3000 to each employee monthly for three months starting from December 2020 and ending in February 2021. Each winery may claim for a maximum of 10 employees. Click here to find out more about the relief fund.
Going forward, together with our official Destination Marketing Organisation, Cape Town Tourism, we are developing marketing strategies to position Cape Town as an ideal destination for wine experiences and connecting it with community based tourism offerings such as townships. This is to ensure we push tourism to all corners of our beautiful city and to spread the benefits to all communities.
With the right support and key interventions as well as strictly adhering to health and safety protocols, I am confident that we can get the sector and linked industries back on their feet and thriving.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
