30 Mar 2020

Kanye Spar Manager, Ms Hilda Setuke says the supermarket has taken a decision to release any employee, who displays any flu-like symptoms as a way of controlling possible spread of  coronavirus.

Ms Setuke told BOPA in an interview that the shop had experienced high numbers of employees on sick leave since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She however assured that all employees affected were given paid sick leave.

“The supermarket has endorsed the notion that all workers must be able to stay home to stop the coronavirus from spreading,” she said.

Ms Setuke therefore advised other business enterprises to consider releasing employees with any flu-like signs as a precautionary measure, adding that they had also introduced several interventions and were ensuring compliance to safety measures.

She said they had also started limiting the number of customers in the store and ensuring the 1.2-metre social distance.

“We have launched an initiative to support social distancing practices at the check-out, placing stickers on the floor to keep at least 1.5 metre distance between people queuing, in line with public health guidelines,” she said.

Ms Setuke indicated that they had also introduced more pre-packed fast foods, with the aim to provide quick service and reduce queues.

She shared that cashiers had been instructed to clean their registers frequently, adding that there were also employees, whose duty was to wipe down handles of freezers and carts.

Further, she advised customers to pay with cards, rather than cash, as a way to help reduce the spread of the virus. ENDS