CT officials inspect over 8,000 businesses for COVID-19 safety compliance

This was done between July and October during which legal action was pursued against nearly 500 employers.

On Friday, 4 December 2020, city authorities joined Health Minister Zweli Mhkize and Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo to visit the Cape Town metro. Picture: @ZweliMkhize/Twitter.

CAPE TOWN - Cape Town law enforcement agencies have inspected over 8,200 businesses to check if COVID-19 safety protocols are being followed.

This was done between July and October during which legal action was pursued against nearly 500 employers.

The municipality said the monitoring of supermarkets, restaurants, entertainment venues and more has been ramped as coronavirus cases pile up.

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More than 1,000 premises were found to be non-compliant during that period.

Thirty of these were served with temporary closure notices.

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Among them is one supermarket and four liquor outlets, including bars. Many were not adhering to health and safety regulations.

Alcohol remains a concern for authorities who say liquor abuse is adding more strain to the city's health services and workers.

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The city said it had already enhanced enforcement in areas of concern and that if action was not taken now, the metro or province could face more stringent lockdown restrictions.

The city's Zahid Badroodien said: “We are addressing every different suburb, going to nightclubs, restaurants and doing inspections. We are finding people and we are addressing it and trying to do what we can.”

Ten schools, 39 restaurants, and 125 supermarkets also came under fire for flouting health safety regulations.

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