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Author: Marillia Veldkornet

World Environmental Health Day Celebrations

A highly successful event was held at the Thembalethu Community Hall, on Wednesday, 26 September 2018, in commemoration of Wold Environmental Health Day (WEHD), initiated by the International Federation of Environmental Health. This year marks the 7th celebration of the event in South Africa, in recognition of the need to improve environmental health to protect human health.

Cllr Khayalethu Lose, the Portfolio Chairperson of Community Services welcomed and thanked stakeholders for their attendance.
The theme for 2018 is “Global Food Safety and Sustainability”, aimed to support the provision of safer food, for people to make use of the precious water and nutrient resources and for communities to increasingly value sustainable food production, distribution and consumption.
After presentations, attendees were encouraged to ask questions and raised concerns.
Approximately 80 people, consisting of informal and formal food and meat traders, small farmers, caterers, crèche cooks and community members, from Thembalethu, were present at the interactive information session. The objectives of the event were to educate, share and discuss the legal requirements in the food industry as well as major threats to food safety, in particularly the incorrect handling of foodstuff; climate change; anti-microbial resistance; antibiotics in meat; food wastage and access to safe water and chemicals.

Mr Tony Dyers of the Veterinarian Service delivered an informative presentation on meat safety, followed by Dr Dyason of the Department of Agriculture, who shared facts about Rabies, the symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention of the disease in animals.
The Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) of the George Municipal Health Office furthermore enlightened attendees on counterfeit foodstuffs; “best before” dates and the five keys to safer food.
Similar celebrations were conducted in other areas within the Garden Route District, and according to the organisers of the event, the envisaged goals were achieved.

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” – Nelson Mandela

Green Energy Forum held to discuss potential Green Energy projects

Garden Route District Municipality, on 30 August 2018, hosted a Garden Route Green Energy Forum at its Disaster Management Centre in George. Representatives from the Garden Route District and George Municipalities, the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE), MTO Forestry and Latts University situated in France, attended the meeting.

The main aim of the discussions was to pursue Green Energy projects that would be in the interest of the residents of the Garden Route. These discussions stemmed from the resolutions taken at the Garden Route Green Energy Summit which took place on 11 and 12 April 2018 under at Fancourt in George. This two-day Summit has unpacked potential areas of alternative energy opportunities, which would see the fruition of an instrumental, collaborative, partnership-driven, green and cleaner environment.

Members of the Green Energy Forum who attended the meeting held at the Garden Route District Municipality on 30 August 2018.

At the Green Energy Forum, Mr Johan Dekker from MTO and Mr Pierre Conradie from CMB Engineering made presentations in respect of the Small Scale Embedded Generation Plant, where after SAIEE Southern Cape Centre extended an invitation to the Forum, to visit the MTO Forestry’s 999kVA Steam Turbine Electricity Generation Plant – the biggest Small Scale Embedded Generation Plant in George. The purpose of the site visit was to explore and witness the capacity and operations of the plant for the Forum members to familiarise themselves with relevant information for informed decision making.

The Forum was coordinated by Mr Jason Shaffler from SA-LED in the absence for Mr Gerhard Otto, GRDM Manager, Disaster Management, and is foreseen to be convened on a quarterly basis to discuss progress made towards achieving the resolutions taken at the Green Energy Summit.

EHPs from Garden Route DM conduct Food Safety Blitz in Knysna

Public concern regarding the selling of “fake foods” compelled the National Department of Health to issue an urgent directive to investigate allegations made regarding the sale of food products, especially products not labelled in accordance with the REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE LABELLING AND ADVERTISING OF FOODSTUFFS, R146 OF 01 MARCH 2010.

According to Regulation 146:
– No person shall manufacture, import, sell or offer any pre-packed foodstuffs for sale, unless the foodstuff container or the bulk stock, from which it is taken, is labelled in accordance with these regulations.
– No person shall import, manufacture, sell, distribute or donate foodstuffs, unless a date marking is clearly indicated on the label or container of such foodstuff.
– The date shall be preceded by appropriate words “best before” and/or “use by” and/or “sell by”, depending on the nature of the product; Provided that abbreviations shall not be permitted, except “BB” for “best before”, but the preceding words shall be written out in full.
– The date marking may not be removed or altered by any person.

Consequently, a joint food safety “blitz” was undertaken by the Garden Route District Municipality: Knysna Municipal Health section on the 13th September 2018 in collaboration with the following stakeholders:
– Knysna S.A.P.S. officials
– Knysna Municipality Law Enforcement officials
– Knysna Municipality Environmental Practitioner

Environmental Health Practitioner issuing a fine to a shop owner who is not complying with Regulation 683 – Governing general hygiene requirements for food premises, the transport of food and related matters.

The safety “blitz” was undertaken at informal (“spaza shops “) situated within the different Greater Knysna areas.
The primary objectives of the joint operation focussed on the following:
– Compliance of premises in terms of the applicable legislation (Regulation 638 – Governing general hygiene
requirements for food premises, the transport of food and related matters)
– Compliance in terms of the Business Act – Act 71 0f 1991 (Knysna Municipality mandate)
– Criminal activities and offences (S.A.P.S. mandate)

Unlawful activity by a shop owner who stored food products in a bedroom.
The operation was facilitated by four Environmental Health Practitioners of the Knysna office and a total of 12 premises were inspected.
A total of 3 fines were issued to non-compliant premises and formal notices will be served on all premises that were visited, to address the non-compliance issues that were identified.
During the debriefing session that was held after completion of the successful operation, various issues and challenges were discussed; these issues will be prioritised during the next operations within the Greater Knysna area.