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Garden Route District Municipality Intensifies Food Safety Inspections Ahead of Festive Season

Published November 11, 2024
3 months ago

In a collaborative effort to prioritize the health and safety of the public, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) recently spearheaded a series of inspections targeting Spaza shops and food establishments. The operation conducted in the Nekkies/Damsebos area of Knysna, alongside Knysna Municipality's Law Enforcement Unit and the South African Police Service resulted in decisive action, with one Spaza shop closed due to serious hygiene infringements.





During the inspections, practitioners checked compliance with Regulation 638, scrutinizing the overall sanitation, correct food labeling, and the legality of products, particularly concerning pesticides. Further afield, in Klein Karoo, similar measures were taken to ensure retailers met requisite health standards. Meanwhile, in George, the absence of Certificates of Acceptability among certain premises led to enforced closures.


Echoing these standards across the district, GRDM continued its proactive stance with educational sessions, significantly heightening the awareness of more than 30 food handlers from varied localities about food safety, handling, and hygiene.


In Bitou, the emphasis shifted to communicable diseases and hygiene practices in light of a measles upsurge, underlining the importance of preventing disease spread in public settings.


With the festive season on the horizon, the GRDM is poised to launch a Food Safety Plan that endeavors to eliminate foodborne illness threats by regulating food handling protocols throughout food premises in the district. This forthcoming plan encompasses regular inspections targeting a broad spectrum of food-related activities, with a focus on hygiene standards, chemical safety, and labelling.


Setting the scene for a comprehensive strategy, the campaign will venture into educating facilities, trading zones, and public gatherings. Inspections will break the conventional timetable, covering weekends and after-hours to ensure adherence to health mandates, with non-compliant entities facing potential closure.


This action is not merely precautionary; it's a critical response to current food-poisoning events across the country. The GRDM aims to mitigate the risk of foodborne diseases that can have devastating impacts on community health.


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