The City of Cape Town’s new Protocols for Hosting Safe Events during COVID-19 were again put to the test when the City hosted a live music event on Greenmarket Square on Thursday. They are aimed at providing a guide for event organisers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new health and safety measures for events have been given the greenlight by the City’s Epidemiologist who inspected the implementation of the protocols during the Greenmarket Square event.
The protocols are outlined in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document developed by the City through its Events Coordinating Committee.
They will be used as a guide tor hosting Safe Events during COVID-19 and as a checklist for the event permitting process to ensure the safety of attendees, participants, supporters and officials.
This protocol will be applied to all events, including those with 250 people at indoor facilities and 500 people at outdoor venues. The SOP document is in line with the Disaster Management Act and National directives.
‘This document has been shared with event organisers and this is part of equipping them with the tools required under these unprecedented times. All these measures are a prerequisite for a permit approval for events hosted in Cape Town to ensure the safety of all the people in attendance.
‘The City has already hosted two successful events over the last two weeks, where these SOP protocols were put to the test and have proven we can host events in a safe environment when we follow the hygiene and health guidelines. The protocols would be subject to any changes in legislation, directives and guidelines, which are promulgated or issued, to ensure we remain abreast of developments,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The City’s Event Permit Office has received 80 new event applications during Alert Level 1, an encouraging figure for an industry that has seen devastation over the last few months.
The City remains committed to providing support for event organisers and has initiated interventions including public safety measures in order to get the industry back to normality.
Some of the highlights of the SOP include that event organisers:
- Must identify inherent risks and other factors that may affect an event and understand mitigation options aimed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission
- Must complete a risk assessment to consider risk factors, safety steps and residual risk.
- Must recognise the threat COVID-19 poses and determine the level of risk of transmission at the event.
- Must ensure event venues allow for mandatory physical distancing.
- Have a responsibility for the wellbeing of their attendees, staff and service providers at their events.
- Ensure compliance with all prevailing legislation, applicable guidelines and standards.
- Appoint the necessary COVID-19 Compliance Officer/s and implement agreed COVID-19 mitigation measures.
- Ensure all staff, workers and service providers are adequately trained and equipped with the necessary PPE.