Keeping city sanitised
CCID team of four to deep-clean infrastructure commonly touched
A FOUR-MAN team of Sanitising Ambassadors, part of the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) Urban Management department, are hard at work in the city centre deep-cleaning commonly touched infrastructure.
This includes pedestrian buttons, railings, benches, bollard tops, the top part of electrical boxes, and lids of green street-pole refuse bins, to minimise the risk of Covid-19.
As more sectors have opened since level 3, allowing employees to return to work, there has been increased capacity of people moving around the CBD, the CCID said.
CCID Urban Management assistant manager Kally Benito said: “With this team, we aim to minimise any health and safety risks for members of the public in the CBD, especially now as we confront the threat of Covid-19. We’re very excited about this project, and are confident it will make a big difference in the city centre.”
The four ambassadors – Wylan Scholtz, Blake Bester, Lucky Mangezi and Peter Kaira – hit the ground running on Monday, sanitising Greenmarket Square and St George’s Mall.
For the next three months, they will be on the streets daily from 7.30am until 4.30pm armed with pressure-sprayer backpacks and squirt bottles.
Benito said the CCID was using an effective sanitiser with 70%+ alcohol content from an accredited supplier.
“Our focus is on the health and safety of the public, and we believe that prevention is crucial in protecting the health of the public. Commonly touched surfaces are more likely sources of infection.
“The cleaning will be continuous, as the next time a person touches the surface it can be recontaminated,” Benito said.
However, Benito warned that members of the public should continue to take their own precautions in preventing the spread of the virus.
“The practice of stringent personal hygiene and physical distancing should continue to be important as well as hand washing with soap and water, or the use of alcohol-based sanitiser.”
Sanitising Ambassador Mangezi, who had been employed in the restaurant industry before Covid-19 struck this sector, said he was “feeling positive” about his new role and “happy to be working to serve the community”.
During the coming weeks, the team will focus on sanitising Greenmarket Square and St George’s Mall and gradually move to other public spaces in the CBD.
CCID chief executive Tasso Evangelinos said these types of measures would go a long way to restore the confidence of businesses, residents, visitors and people who work in the CBD.