Three more City pharmacies make the A-grade!
25 September 2025
As the world celebrates Pharmacists Day, City Health is proud to announce that three of its primary healthcare pharmacies - Ocean View CDC, Pelican Park CDC, and Albow Gardens CDC - have achieved Grade-A classification from the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC).
A Grade-A rating is the highest recognition a pharmacy can achieve. It signifies full compliance with Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) standards, covering service delivery, infrastructure, medicine availability, and regulatory compliance, with only minor shortcomings noted during inspection.
‘For City Health, this milestone reflects a strong commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and high-quality pharmaceutical services while strengthening public trust in the City’s primary healthcare system. We are extremely proud of this recognition and I want to congratulate City Health staff for their commitment to quality service standards and care for our residents. A Grade-A classification is more than just a rating - it is a vote of confidence in the quality of service our communities can expect when accessing essential medicines at City Health facilities,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Health, Councillor Francine Higham.
Ocean View, Pelican Park, and Albow Gardens CDC pharmacies have distinguished themselves through:
• Reliable access to medicines via efficient, digitised stock management and dispensing systems.
• Modern, secure facilities with private and semi-private counselling areas.
• Patient-centred workflows designed to reduce waiting times.
• Well-trained staff who provide respectful, timely, and informative care.
They join the Ikhwezi Clinic in Strand and St. Vincent in Belhar, which already have this rating.
To achieve Grade-A recognition, City Health introduced key improvements, including:
• Upgraded infrastructure to meet safety and environmental standards.
• Digital dispensing systems to reduce errors and improve turnaround times.
• Ongoing staff training and professional development.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for inventory, dispensing, and patient counselling.
• Stronger monitoring systems to track performance and quality indicators.
Patients and communities are already experiencing tangible benefits, such as better access to essential medicines with fewer stock-outs, shorter waiting times and streamlined service, improved patient counselling and support for treatment adherence, and greater confidence in local public healthcare services.
The announcement comes during Pharmacy Month, a time to recognise the critical role of pharmacists and pharmacy staff.
‘Pharmacy is a vital link in the healthcare chain. By honouring this profession, we honour the people who safeguard treatment outcomes, ensure medication safety, and uphold quality care every single day,’ added Councillor Higham.
Caption 1: Cllr. Higham with staff at the Albow Gardens Pharmacy
Caption 2: Ocean View Pharmacy team members, from L – R: Pharmacist, Eugene Brandt; PBPA, Ursula Williams; Sister Colleen Lawrence and PBPA, Pamela Mbayimbayi.
Caption 3: Cllr. Higham at Pelican Park CDC, with Pharmacy team members Tyrone Pegram (Post Basic Pharmacist's Assistant); Layla Majal (locum pharmacist); Charlene van Nelson (2nd in charge) and Dumisani Mngxozana (Post Basic Pharmacist's Assistant)
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
