Did metro lose R28-m after closing down market?
This after the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market is said to lose R28 million a day, each time it closed due to a Covid-19 case.
The Tshwane metro has disputed that it has suffered a R28-million loss at the fresh produce market after it was temporarily closed due to coronavirus fears last week.
Tshwane metro Spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the amount had not been quantified yet.
The market was closed due to a positive case of Covid-19.
Bokaba said the metro closed off the market as their policies and regulations were not cast in stone.
“We always strive to strike a balance between saving lives and livelihoods. The lives of our employees as well as those of our residents are as important as the economic imperatives of the affected businesses.”
He said in 48 hours of closure, the metro was able to decontaminate the market and allow for contact tracing.
DA Gauteng spokesperson on agriculture and rural development Ina Cilliers said while the party had noted the temporary closure of the market, “and while it is understandable that health and safety protocols must be followed,” the party called on the city to urgently re-assess their pandemic response for the market.
“If the entire market is shut down every time a case of Covid-19 is confirmed, it will have devastating consequences for producers and traders to the tune of up to R28- million a day,” said Cilliers.
She alleged that on the day of closure, farmers were turned away with virtually no notice and perishable produce was left abandoned on the market floor.
“A responsible and caring government will be mindful of the impact of their actions on the thousands of daily users of the market. It is not always possible or affordable to simply deliver at another market, especially for small and emerging producers.”
Cilliers said a better approach would be to close off affected sections and to implement proactive systems of communication with clients.
She said the DA would be tabling further questions in the Gauteng provincial legislature to ascertain what measures had been put in place to assist farmers who could be affected by the closure of the fresh produce market.
“In addition, we will also be asking the MEC for agriculture and rural development what assistance her department can offer to markets in terms of a responsible, effective and standardised approach that can be implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19 at all fresh produce markets in the province.”
Cilliers said food insecurity at households in Gauteng was already on the increase as a result of the “unreasonable lockdown”.
“We therefore need local and provincial authorities to be mindful in their policy responses and to ensure that farmers and traders are able to deliver food at all times.”
The doors to the market reopened Saturday last week.
The metro said a comprehensive inspection was carried out by the city’s municipal health services section.
It was found that the market met all the requirements to resume business operations and the metro requested market users to adhere to the following Covid-19 measures while at the market:
– Wear a face mask at all times when on the market premises.
– Sanitise your hands whenever entering market facilities such as market halls.
– Co-operate with market officials to have your temperature checked prior to entering any market facility. Anyone with a temperature of 38 °C and above will not be allowed access to the market facilities.
– Observe physical distancing of at least 1.5m between market users.
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