In an effort to decrease the alarming COVID-19 infections in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, the City working closely with the Department of Health has committed to hold vigorous training and workshop sessions with tavern owners across the City after the liquor trading sector was highlighted as the biggest contributor to the increasing numbers in the City.
During a stakeholders’ meeting held on Saturday, 14 November 2020, NMBM Acting Mayor Councillor Thsonono Buyeye said the sessions would prioritised.
He called the meeting on Saturday, and urged the business owners and leaders in the religious sector to work with government as the battle against COVID-19 is far from over.
Mayor Buyeye was joined by NMBM Public Health Portfolio Head, Councillor Yolisa Pali, officials from the provincial Department of Health, Government Communications Information System and SA Police Services who highlighted the dire COVID-19 situation in the City.
“It is important to train all these sectors and make sure they understand COVID-19, what to do and what is expected of them and how to conduct their businesses amid COVID-19. One of the business owners is saying that training was never done for taverns and I think we need to take that and agree that it is something that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency so that we don’t have people pleading ignorance using the fact that they were never workshopped.”
Secretary for Concerned Township Liquor Licensed Traders, Mongameli Ngqokwe said all liquor trading structures and their members needed to be trained and involved in the fight against COVID-19.
Although training was conducted for the religious and funeral sectors, Councillor Pali said the strategies in place needed to be tightened as the second wave of infections was brutal.
“We have pastors who take off their masks during funerals or church services and when they are called out on that, they say God will protect us. We can not afford to have such messages out there. It is an embarrassment for us to be a hotspot in the entire country. We need change urgently and we need everyone on board because the numbers are not looking good,” Cllr Pali said.
NMB Communications
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