City lends a hand to burgeoning informal trading sector in Delft

A workshop was held in the area to promote compliance with legislation around food safety, basic hygiene and informal slaughtering, among others.

Various City departments teamed up for a transversal workshop in Delft yesterday, Monday 18 November 2019, for the benefit of informal traders.

The workshop was convened amid an increase in informal trading in Delft and surrounds.

The aim was to create awareness among traders to work towards compliance of food related legislation, including the Business Act 71 of 1991 and R638 Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of food and related Matters, and covered numerous topics including:

food safety and basic hygiene

the keeping of Animals By-Law and the requirements,

fire safety

prevention of air pollution

The national department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was present too, to impart the risks associated with informal slaughtering.

‘The City encourages entrepreneurship and we’re seeing more and more people take to informal trading in the food sector. By hosting this workshop, we want to make sure that the traders are compliant with food and other related legislation, to create a safer environment for the preparation of, and selling of food,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Management, Councillor Grant Twigg.

In January 2019, City Health piloted free monthly training sessions to food vendors to ensure compliance with new national regulations, which require that any person in charge of a food premises must be suitably qualified or otherwise trained in the principles and practices of food safety and hygiene, and that the training is accredited or conducted by an inspector. The same applies to employees who handle food at a food premises.

‘In our view, this is a win-win for all involved. By abiding with the standards set out in law, traders ensure sustainability for their businesses as well as potential growth. This in turn makes the City’s oversight role in ensuring public health and safety that much easier.

‘Food safety applies to everyone, whether cooking for your immediate family, or a family gathering or for profit. My appeal to the public is to always keep food safety top of mind, whether you are the cook or a client, particularly during the warmer months when food tends to spoil far more quickly. Poor habits such as not washing your hands correctly or not keeping foodstuffs at the correct storage temperatures can have devastating consequences and effectively shut down your business even before it has taken off,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

Source: City Of Cape Town

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