The Langa Local Covid-19 Command Centre has since reported the store to the SAHRC, with the group’s Anele Gqasana saying their complaint related to the store’s handling of the situation.
“They closed on the day of the two cases, but the following day we heard they were open again. They said they did the decontamination, but compliance wise, it was not right. They were meant to be closed for more than 72 hours. They said their head office gave them the right to reopen,” Gqasana said.
He said they approached the commission as they felt the store was not adhering to regulations.

“What upsets us is that we are being undermined by Shoprite, and it’s putting staff and the community at risk,” he said.
SAHRC provincial commissioner Chris Nissen said they were looking into the complaint and would be meeting with Shoprite’s management today.
“We asked them to send a report on when the fogging was done. I was concerned that they can do it in three hours. We wanted to see if it was done properly,” Nissen said.

He said they would like the store to be more transparent.
“We are also asking them to inform the community on how many people went for testing, so the community can have comfort,” Nissen said.
In response, the Shoprite Group confirmed that the store was closed temporarily following protest action.

“Shoprite Langa in the Western Cape was closed on Tuesday, April 28, following positive Covid-19 testing. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the Department of Health were informed. The store closed and an employee screening programme supported by the company’s mobile clinic was put in place.
"Those employees who had close contact with the infected person self-quarantine for 14 days. A professional decontamination company was brought in to sanitise and deep clean the store which was reopened on May 1 in consultation with the Department of Health.”
They were not able to say when the store would be able to reopen.


Source: Cape Times