A meeting of stakeholders representing different interest groups in the Greater Ballito area was held late this afternoon 14 July. These interest groups included the following:
- those currently responsible for coordinating civilian and private security efforts who are working with SAPS and the SANDF;
- representatives from the local businesses, grocery stores, other commercial retail outlets, small to medium enterprises and medical services;
- representatives from various organized community bodies;
- the Dolphin Coast Taxi Association representatives; and
- local media including print and radio news.
At this meeting it was agreed to constitute the Greater Ballito Operations Centre (GBOC) to which a leadership team has been appointed to drive. The first focus being the speedy preparation of an Emergency Integrated Operational Plan for the Greater Ballito Area. This will be prepared by a number of task teams constituted by experts in their respective fields to cover:
- Security & Access Control
- Business, Retailers, and Healthcare
- Communications & Stakeholder Engagements
- Municipal Services and Utilities (electricity, water, sewerage, etc)
- Solid Waste
- Fuel
- NPO / NGO Support
Given the stablisation of the security situation, our priority now is access to food and pharmaceutical products. It was agreed that large grocery stores and other retailers will open in a managed approach on Friday, 16 July 2021 on the basis that:
- the Greater Ballito’s food/goods supply is not compromised in any way by the opening;
- shopping for food and goods be done on a basis that is fair and equitable to all people in the Greater Ballito area;
- areas within the Greater Ballito area are to be prioritized;
- measures will be agreed by the Food Security task team and put in place to ensure restrictions on the number of products to be purchased to avoid hoarding and over-shopping;
- measures will be agreed and put in place to ensure that the flow of people shopping from outlying areas is managed as to not compromise food security and infrastructure, but gives the fullest access possible to the Greater Ballito community members; and
- other possible steps to assist areas falling outside of the Greater Ballito be considered at a later stage.
Further communications in this regard will be provided during the course of tomorrow on as many communications platforms as possible.
The GBOC thanks the community of the Greater Ballito area for the patience and restraint shown and undertakes that it will do its utmost to ensure the fair and equitable access to foods and essential goods.
Warwick Chapman
Chief Executive – GBOC
