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Trained community patrols will be dispatched to eight Eastern Cape police stations in an attempt to curb the spread.
- A collaboration between the Eastern Cape government and the alcohol industry will see the deployment of community patrols at Covid-19 hotspots.
- Patrollers will ensure that alcoholic beverage outlets comply with Level 1 business restrictions by reporting to community policing forums and local police stations.
- Non-compliance by alcohol merchants in the province is believed to add to the increase in Covid-19 cases.
Around 80 trained community patrols will be dispatched to eight Eastern Cape police stations in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the province.
This collaboration between the Eastern Cape government and the alcohol industry follows a meeting Saturday to discuss an outbreak of cases in the province.
There has been an increase in Covid-19 cases in the province, with the Nelson Mandela Bay metro now accounting for more than 50% of the country’s daily infections, News24 previously reported.
READ | Covid-19: Eastern Cape Responsible for Half of New Daily Infections
This has prompted experts to express concern that holiday travel to the province could trigger a second wave for the country in January.
The alcohol industry has pledged to train and deploy 10 patrols per station at Covid-19 hotspots in the province, according to a joint statement issued by the provincial government and industry bodies.
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“Working together with the SAPS and the Community Police Forums, the patrols will ensure compliance with regulations at the alcoholic beverage outlets in the catchment areas of the selected police stations. The outlets that violate the regulations will be reported to SAPS and the Eastern Cape Liquor Board for further investigation and adjudication, “said Sunday’s statement.
Wave
During Saturday’s meeting, concerns were raised that some alcoholic beverage establishments were not complying with the Liquor Act regulations and Level 1 business requirements. It is believed that this may be contributing to the increase in Covid-19 cases. .
Lucky Ntimane, convenor of the liquor merchant formations, urged merchants to comply with regulations.
“Make sure people wear masks and are disinfected when entering your establishment. Establishment owners should ensure that there is good ventilation and limit the number of customers to no more than 50% of the establishment’s capacity to ensuring social distancing – simple things we have to do to prevent increased infections from being linked to our facilities and businesses. “
A joint task force of government and industry representatives has been formed to seek further collaboration.
“The alcohol industry should help us contain infections associated with alcohol use. The … commitment shown by the alcohol industry to this fight is a good step and will help us reduce the rate of transmission of the infection. All The owners of alcohol trading venues have a responsibility to comply with regulations to save their businesses and save lives, “said Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha, spokesman for the Eastern Cape Prime Minister.
