3 April 2025 Media Release: GRDM Community Services Portfolio Chairperson visits Environmental Health Practitioners at 2025 KKNK
Media Release: GRDM Community Services Portfolio Chairperson visits Environmental Health Practitioners at 2025 KKNK
3 April 2025
Garden Route District Municipality Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP) provide and facilitate comprehensive, pro-active and needs-based services to ensure a safe, healthy and clean environment and thereby preventing detrimental environmental conditions and related diseases.
The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) in Oudtshoorn commenced on Tuesday 1 April 2025, and will continue until Sunday, 6 April 2025. Food quality control and health surveillance of premises are key performance areas of EHPs.
According to Mayor Andrew Stroebel, “the KKNK has an excellent track record in food quality control. Now in its 29th year, the festival has never experienced an outbreak of foodborne illnesses or food poisoning”.
Today, the Portfolio Chairperson (MMC) of Community Services Department at GRDM, Councillor Jobieth Hoogbaard, also visited the KKNK to observe the functions and activities carried out by EHPs who ensure food safety and prevent environmental conditions that could negatively impact public health.
Cllr Hoogbaard first visited the office of the EHP in Oudtshoorn, where an informative discussion took place to inform him about the inspections and monitoring activities carried out by EHPs during the KKNK. These activities include ensuring food safety, water quality, public toilet facilities, solid waste storage and disposal, waste-water disposal, etc.
Photo caption: Councillor Hoogbaard visited food stalls with Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs), engaged with food stall owners, and handed over Certificates of Acceptability. He also visited the stalls of GRDM and the Department of Health and Wellness.
Thereafter he accompanied EHPs to the KKNK to observe the daily health inspections and activities first-hand. MMC Hoogbaard also visited the KKNK Joint Operation Centre (JOC).
Food stalls must comply with Regulation 638 of 2018 and possess a Certificate of Acceptability (COA). He further visited food stalls with EHP’s, engaged with food stall owners, and witnessed COAs being handed over to food stalls.
He welcomed a comment from a food stall owner from outside the GRDM, who stated that, “the quality of service provided by the EHPs and the application process to obtain a COA for his food stall was impressive and seamless”.
Featured image caption: Councillor Hoogbaard with EHPs from the Oudtshoorn Office.
FLTR: Francois Koelman, Anelisa Fuzani, MMC Jobieth Hoogbaard (Portfolio Chairperson of Community Services), Desmond Paulse (Manager: Municipal Health Services, Klein Karoo), Johan Smith, and Maxwelline Fatuse.
-ENDS-