Pockets of hostility jeopardising Covid-19 oversight efforts
16 March 2021
The threats, levelled against Environmental Health Practitioners in some areas, are bedevilling efforts to ensure continued Covid-19 compliance.
The City of Cape Town’s Environmental Health Service is noting increased threats and interference in the efforts of staff members to do their jobs.
Covid-19 compliance inspections are a key focus area for the service as part of the City’s response to the pandemic.
Information is also relayed to the national Health Department on a weekly basis.
While compliance inspections at businesses, schools, Early Childhood Development Centres and funeral undertakers are continuing relatively incident free, 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 fulfill 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. Further, our staff are seen to be easy targets by lawless individuals,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
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.
‘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. 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,’ added Councillor Badroodien.
A third wave of Covid-19 infections is expected in May, and the City urges the public to continue observing health and safety protocols to mitigate the risk of infection, including:
social distancing and wearing of masks in public at all times
avoiding gatherings as far as possible
if you need to gather, do so in outside settings and keep the gathering short
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
