The MEC for Transport Bonginkosi Madikizela and ANC leader Xolani Sotashe conducted a surprise visit to Shoprite in Strand, and found that the store is not providing proper sanitisers for customers and cashiers.
Madikizela visited different social grant paypoints to see how the elderly were faring when a security guard sanitised his hands and discovered that it was not a sanitiser but a disinfectant cleaner which does not contain alcohol.
“This is not what you should be using,” the MEC told the guard and asked to see the store boss.
CONCERN: No alcohol in sanitiser
The manager, Ivan Sany, showed the MEC a bottle where they pour the disinfectant out of and confirmed that they give it to customers and cashiers to disinfect themselves.
The cashiers also revealed to the Daily Voice that they buy their own sanitisers, gloves and masks as they are not provided with the items despite requesting them.
“We bought our own, they are mixing a disinfectant with water here and it is not safe. We are bribed with R700 food vouchers but our safety is not a concern,” a staff member said.
Madikizela was not impressed, saying: “I am beginning to suspect that businesses might be taking shortcuts by not using the required sanitisers.
“It is very clear that you need sanitisers that have 60 to 70% of alcohol to kill this thing.
“Now if you are mixing it with water you are watering it down and it will be ineffective.”
IN HOT WATER: Shoprite in Strand diluted their sanitiser
Sotashe slammed the store management: “The liquid that we saw inside is not a sanitiser and we have spoken with the management of the shop.
“They must stick to the regulations and not take shortcuts because we are not going to defeat the invisible enemy.”
Manager Ivan said he would raise the matter with his bosses, who did not respond by deadline last night.