Western Cape Premier Alan Winde says he is pleased with hygiene measures implemented by management at Spar in Khayelitsha, on the Cape Flats. This is after 55 staff members tested positive for COVID-19. The store has re-opened and management says the affected staff members are all in quarantine, and other staff members have been brought in.

Winde says the shop has been properly decontaminated.  The Spar was closed for a week for decontamination after workers tested positive in early April.

The store says it has implemented rigorous health and safety protocols which include daily screening and compulsory wearing of masks for the staff as well as customers.

Winde has pleaded with businesses and citizens to adhere to the restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of the coronavirus.

“This shop was closed because of cases. We came to see what they have done. They have proper cleaning systems in place. They hand out a mask as you come in. They have spacing inside the store and they have taken every one of their staff members, they quarantined them. I’m impressed with what they have done. My plea is also to the citizens. Khayelitsha has nearly 300 cases alone and it’s climbing. “

Khayelitsha is the first township in the province to record positive cases of the coronavirus.

The Khayelitsha Development Forum says socio-economic conditions in the area make it difficult sometimes to adhere to the strict hygiene protocols.

“The majority of the people are adhering to the rules but the problem is that socio-economic conditions do not permit everybody to properly adhere to the regulations. For example, there are allegations that even the foreign-owned shops have now increased (prices for) things like bread. Now, they have to stand in these queues only to buy a loaf of bread. You’d know there are issues of improper sanitation in Khayelitsha, people sharing taps,” says Chairperson Ndikho Tyhido.

The province has recorded more than 2 000 confirmed cases of the virus.

In the video below, screening and testing facilities have been put in place in Khayelitsha: